My reverse Cinderella Story: how Prince Charming popped into my life when I was least expecting him

Having spent the last two years trying to overcome several health issues, I have at times lost sight of who I am. During a 10 day stay in hospital, I had a lot of time to reflect. Whilst doing some housekeeping on my computer, I came across an article I wrote whilst doing an internship with Mother and Baby Magazine in August 2011. It has helped me to put life into focus again and realise that my family need me to rest and recover so that we can enjoy our life together for years to come.

As my eyes, searched the results pinned to the board, I felt sick.  I started at the end, looking for my name amongst the fails, then the passes, then the third class degrees. Failing to see it, I turned to the lower second class, amazed to have not found my name there I finally found Elisabet Howlett nestled amongst the upper second class degrees.  Two days later, I packed my bags, flew to France and after a few weeks of sending out my CV, landed my dream job as International Co-ordinator at a large French accounting firm.

 

Walking through the door to MY office, I smiled inwardly as I reached for the phone to order my business cards. This was what all that hard work had been about, those late nights during finals suddenly felt worth it as I clung to the first rung of my career ladder. The next eight weeks flew by, with meetings in Istanbul, Barcelona andVienna.  I got used to the buzz of waltzing into the business lounge, helping myself to drinks, snacks and magazines and crashing in four star hotels. That’s not to say that these little perks came without graft however.  My days would often start at 7 and end at 10 at night. I figured that this was a rite of passage, an essential stepping stone to further my career and set me apart as a serious, hardworking business woman.

Taking advantage of a French bank holiday, I decided to return home, check in with my family and meet up with some of my friends.  I hooked up with one of my childhood friends who had been away in Germany; we were going to have a quick catch up.  Or so I thought.

 

At 23, my dreams were firmly focused on working hard to further my career.  Whilst I did intend to eventually get married and have kids, (let’s face it most of us want our fairytale ending) it was definitely not my priority at that moment in time. 

 

Why then in the course of that fateful meeting with an old friend did I end up getting married to him less than six months later, changing my career and trying for a baby?  Quite simply, because he was the most amazing man I had ever met and rather predictably, I fell head over heels in love with him.

 

Suddenly, the jaunts around Europe weren’t so appealing; the long hours in the office became a chore. Two years into our marriage, I retrained to be a teacher which meant a job in the same town as my prince charming.  It was then that we decided to start trying for a family.  Sadly, things didn’t go to plan at first, and suddenly life took on different meaning.  At once, the most important things in my life were my husband, our health and our wellbeing.    Whilst we worked hard for our employers, we focused on enjoying life, spending as much time together as we could.

 

Ten years later, I’m afraid to say that, rather sickeningly, I love him even more than I did then.  He is without doubt the best man in the world.  But it gets even better. We have three beautiful healthy children. 

 

So my life didn’t quite turn out the way I’d envisaged it. I am definitely not earning the big bucks I imagined I would as I perused the echelons of management.  There is no company car, I have long since used up my Frequent Flyer miles (my favourite perk) but I am happy and content as a wife and mother and school teacher.

 

I know the cynics among you will say I took a risk and got lucky. The truth is, I did get lucky, but I have never forgotten my good fortune, and every day, I work to ensure I am deserving of it.