Five years of new beginnings and wedded bliss

If someone had told me at my birthday party in October 2006, that I was about to bump into my long lost love, realise we had never fallen out of love, get married and move with my girls to China I would have laughed my head off. I was a happily divorced single mother, enjoying raising my two daughters, working and slowly renovating my house. I had the support of great friends, we all had lots of fun times and they also helped me through some tough times. You never know what is around the corner!

That is exactly what happened, I bumped into a mutual friend I hadn't seen in years, in a shop I rarely go to, he was in town for a visit, his first in 18 years. She said 'he is single...you are single', I said 'That's crazy, he lives in China and I'm in Perth with my two girls! To cut a long, fairy tale story short, we met up with our friends, we reconnected. After many trips back and forth between Perth and Shanghai, where he was based, many emails and Skype calls, family holidays and a 'test' period with the girls in China, That is exactly what happened and on 18 April 2008, we married, 23 years after he proposed the first time!

We married on my Mum's birthday, sent some balloons up to heaven so she was part of our special day. I wore red, the colour of weddings in China. It signifies love, joy and prosperity. My husband married the three of us, promised the girls he would always be there for them and protect them.

Our first anniversary was spent in Shanghai, we had lunch with the girls at our favourite Aussie restaurant, Kakadu, went back to our apartment and sent some balloons up to Mum on her birthday.

In the evening we had a lovely, romantic dinner, just my husband and me with this fabulous view of what had become my favourite city, my new home, the incredible Shanghai.

Our second anniversary was very romantic...a bus trip out to the Shanghai Formula 1 race, my husband's favourite sport. Was a different way to celebrate but we had so much fun together!

Our third anniversary was even less romantic...My husband stayed home with the girls while I went on a ladies weekend trip out to Guizhou Province for the Miao minority Sisters' Meal festival. A festival of courtship, which was somewhat fitting, even if we weren't physically together.

I did dress in traditional wedding attire for the occasion though!

Our fourth anniversary was spent in the lovely garden city of Suzhou for the weekend. We wandered the Lingering garden and had a relaxing, magical weekend together, our little family of four.

We now mark five years of wedded bliss, here in rural England...who would have thought. Looking forward to a nice dinner tonight and an evening to celebrate our lives together and plan for many more years, full of love and adventure together.

Happy Anniversary Honey xxx