It took us three attempts to get this photo right - you can see dad was thrilled!

The first few days were spent finding our feet and trying to get rid of the jetlag as soon as possible (yes, I did get up at 5am for the first few mornings and go jogging around the fields with Sam the dog... which anyone who knows me would just laugh at).

We had quite a challenge on the Friday evening as we arranged a family meal which involved us meeting Stuart’s girlfriend for the first time and also Kate’s boyfriend for the first time. I must admit I felt the pressure of having to pretend I was a wonderful older sister! The meal was great, nothing beats having the family all together – cue lots of sarcastic comments and embarrassing tales from the past being shared!

It’s times like this when I think distance does really make you appreciate your family and friends, every moment you spend together is so much more precious.