Nearly 7 years ago I told my DS1 to find a nice local girl (after a longish distance relationship broke up)
So... he went to play a gig (he's a singer/songwriter) at a local pub, and met a girl. On holiday. From Adelaide!
A couple of months later, aged 22 he jumped on a plane and went over, moved in with her family and stayed there a year. Then came home. She followed and moved in with us for 2 years. We loved her. She just fit in with our daft family. Then she had to go back. Brief visits, long phone calls, much sadness.
The struggle to get a visa was immense. Much stress, even more money, but my boy finally went out to join her on 23rd feb 2020...and we all know what happened next. We didn't see him for over two years.
We are currently in Oz and finally this weekend DS1 married the love of his life, with me, DH and DS2 there, and his sisters watching the live feed (both medics and could not get the time off). It was such an utterly joyful, funny, laid back Australian wedding.
I couldn't love her more if I'd chosen her for him myself. They are soul mates in a way you rarely see.
My son is totally and utterly happy, his life and job is so much better here in Australia and now he has his perfectly hilariously well matched wife.
We miss him every day. We will come here as often as we can. They will come to us as often as they can.
But I am so so happy for him, so happy for all of us that he has somehow found the right person, had the balls to make a whole new life here while freely admitting he misses us badly at times, I'm just so fricking HAPPY!