Offspring living in NZ

OutsideAuckland * Cath* All I know is they are happy and have a beautiful home and good jobs and I have to suck it up accept it and smile (and I do most of the time)
That’s all there is to it

My DS is in NZ with partner and DS.
I am going out to see them in a few weeks but I'm already preparing to be saying goodbye again.
They've been there for 15 years and have no plans to return.
It's not easy as we get older is it.

We were the ones who left and I can tell you parting was very difficult every time we came back from visiting parents in the UK. Because you only see them every few years the ageing process hits you between the eyes, especially in their later years. When we left UK all our parents were young and spritely and working with their own lives and activities but when they got older and had health issues it was so hard to leave.

Thanks so much for your quick reply.
You obviously know how I feel. I noticed even my older son shed a tear but he was very tired. What does help is to know he is happy in NZ and will feel better once he gets back to their animals. He is such a softy, the other day telling me how much he loves me with a few tears in his eyes. So today I repeated reminding him that he has many years ahead to enjoy his life.
Where do your lot live?
Nigel has been in NZ for 18 yrs and has now bought land where they had a house built.

Yes my son, daughter in law and two grown grandkids are in NZ Saw my son this year first time in 8 years which is the last time I saw my grandkids I m also in my late 70 s Cath it’s tough isn’t it ? but it is what it is
No idea when I ll next see him he’s been there 25plus years
😢 we speak every weekend in the phone