The Baynhams

The girls have a cousin of a similar age to them in Wales. Last time we saw Jasmine she was only a young child and it has been hard to imagine what sort of a teenager she is growing into. Birthdays and Christmas gifts can be a bit hit and miss when you are buying for someone you last saw in a pink barbie dress!

We spent a day at Byron's brothers house and got there shortly before Jasmine was due out of school. She wasn't expecting to see us till she got home but we decided to walk up to her school and wait outside the gates for her to come out. As the school emptied there was a steady stream of girls and boys, all wearing the same uniforms pouring out the different doors of the school. Almost every girl had hair down past their shoulders and we scanned back and forth with no idea which one was her. Finally her mum spotted her and pointed her out to us while she was still a bit away from us. Our girls walked bravely through the school gates and towards her. Seeing the puzzled look on her face and then the smile of recognition was so good! They walked on ahead of us as teenagers do talking and catching up as we walked behind laughing at how similar they all looked.

I think seeing all the kids on this holiday has been one of the highlights. No matter how many emails pass between myself and my friends or between Byron and his brother it is simply not the same as seeing them face to face and getting to know who they are now and not who we remember them to be from 8 years ago.