Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2007-05-16 08:13:08 - Graham Ellis
Picture ... Lisa waits at Heathrow to greet son Tyler, yesterday morning. Tyler has lived (contrary to our desire) with his natural father in Florida for these past years, and we have seen him for holidays and high days - always too short a time to spend together, always too few visits always too little time to enjoy, and certainly far from enough time to impart enough experiences of life and education.
A few months back, Tyler announced he was getting married (at 18) to a young lady that we knew only a very little of and had never met. He gave her a good sales pitch, and had demonstrated that this wasn't a quick fling running up substantial phone bills (for us to pay) back to her (more than his flight cost!) the Christmas before last.
The wedding was Sunday. And on Monday, Tyler and Alyssa left Miami for a week's honeymoon and meet-the-family trip to the UK ... thus Lisa pictured at the airport on Tuesday morning.
You can imagine the nerves, the trepidation, the natural concern. And I can imagine too that Alyssa would be somewhat nervous about what SHE was walking in to at Heathrow.
But I have to say, she's a really nice girl. We all get on well, had a fun day (straight to Alton Towers - that's another story) and perhaps she really is the right one for him and perhaps they are fortunate to have found each other so early.
I took the opportunity, waiting in line for a rollercoaster, to ask a few questions of Alyssa about herself that were pushy beyond my usual bounds. And, no, I'm not going to tell the world the answers. But I did find ... some similarities, some surprisingly identical answers to those that Lisa would have given.
It's also to see the couple together and arm in arm and clearly very much a couple. They'll have some struggles and tough times - they've not got an easy work and support system in Florida and they perhaps need to get some qualifications. But I do wish them all the very best, offer them our family support and hope they have many, many happy years together.
Picture ... Lisa waits at Heathrow to greet son Tyler, yesterday morning. Tyler has lived (contrary to our desire) with his natural father in Florida for these past years, and we have seen him for holidays and high days - always too short a time to spend together, always too few visits always too little time to enjoy, and certainly far from enough time to impart enough experiences of life and education.
But I have to say, she's a really nice girl. We all get on well, had a fun day (straight to Alton Towers - that's another story) and perhaps she really is the right one for him and perhaps they are fortunate to have found each other so early.
It's also to see the couple together and arm in arm and clearly very much a couple. They'll have some struggles and tough times - they've not got an easy work and support system in Florida and they perhaps need to get some qualifications. But I do wish them all the very best, offer them our family support and hope they have many, many happy years together.