Happy Birthday Saskia!

Saskia on her 18th birthday

Saskia's 18th birthday today, and almost impossible to believe that she has finally reached adulthood!  What a scary thought....

She tells me that it doesn't really feel any different yet though. I asked her what she was hoping for over the next year. Top of her list (like mine) is that we find a new family home in Somero.  We have all been grateful to have the flat we are living in at the moment, but we are also looking forward to putting down our family roots once more in our own house as soon as we find the right one.

As Saskia is expecting a baby in March she is obviously hopeful that everything goes well with the baby, and is looking forward to being a new Mum. I still haven't quite got my head round the thought of being a grandmother, but I guess I'll have to start getting used to it pretty soon. Saskia is also thinking about starting up her studies again in the autumn so there are a lot of projects set for 2013.

She also made the comment "It's cool that the world didn't end." Quite.

As I write these words it is now just past eleven o'clock at night in the UK. In just over an hour we have to start our journey home, as the plane leaves from Stansted at 6.40 in the morning, and we have a four hour drive to the airport from here.  My Dad had tears in his eyes when I left him this evening and it felt very hard to leave. I am of course praying that I will see him again, but I am comforted in any event by the knowledge that I have said everything important I wanted to say even if I don't.

So, as a family we have a lot to look forward to over the coming months. Right now though, I am simply looking forward to our journey back to Finland being over and being safely back in Somero. Then it will be straight out to the shops toget the food in for Christmas. You'll know it's me if you see me because I'll be the one looking exhausted. Wishing you all a happy weekend....