How did moving back to the UK affect your relationship with DH?

[patex]

We are mid-term expats who will be moving back home shortly.

DH seems to think nothing will change with regard to us and our marriage, but I think that moving home and adjusting to married life in the UK (we weren't even engaged when we originally left) will mean a new phase of our marriage is entered.

Am I overthinking or did moving back change things for you?

watching with interest! we are considering whether we return to the UK after this current posting. Its a while away for us but I'm looking forward to getting back some independence (can't work where I am). I think there will be a shift as DH/his job has driven everything we have done for many years.

I think it depends what kind of expat life you're leaving. If you've both been working and that's what you'll continue to do then things might not be that different. I was a SAHM in a non-English speaking environment to 3 young children. Our children went to an international school and so by extension our children's friends and the mums that I met tended to be from other expat families which meant that much of our social life both as a couple and a family was within that expat world. It's a pretty rarified existence, too when you consider all the benefits that an expat package brings!
When we made the decision to relocate home permanently, I underestimated how big a change it would be. Life moves on when you're away, so do the lives of friends and relatives. Establishing yourself in a community where people are much more entrenched is more difficult than in the transient expat world.

None of these things changed the fundamental relationship between DH and I. They did, however, add their own stresses to a major life change which inevitably affected how we related to one another. We came through it all, as a family and a couple, absolutely fine, though!

Nothing changed at all here, I think you might be overthinking it.

My marriage is a strong and happy one, we have coped with all sorts of things that life has thrown at us, together.

Moving home is just another 'thing'.

It is just another chapter OP. It will be fine. Slightly stressful at times, but fine.

Thanks for your comments maybe I am over thinking!!