An added bonus of being home last weekend was that it gave me the opportunity to sort out a few bits and pieces in advance of Jamie's christening on Sunday.
Given that we were married here in Yorkshire, Vanessa had the bright idea halfway through her pregnancy that our son or daughter to be should be smattered with water back in Northern Ireland. Clearly I was only too happy to agree.
The service will take place in St Mary's Church, Macosquin, the little village where I spent the first 10 years of my life. And it holds some very happy memories.
The two of us went to meet the very down-to-earth minister there, the Rev Mike Roemmelle, back in January and he couldn't have been more accommodating. And on Sunday, Vanessa's mum, stepdad Mike, my dad and nephew Sebastian (pictured above) came with me for the morning service.
Sebastian's presence was particularly significant. Now 11 years old, he was born with congenital heart disease and has had some very difficult periods in his life thus far. But he's come through them incredibly well and is already one of the great characters I've met.
To give you an example, he arrived at my dad's door the other day - before school I think. On making it through to the living room, he turned to his grandfather and announced dryly:
"I need your chair, the remote control and something to eat. Is that too much to ask?" Needless to say it wasn't.
Alongside, my tiny friend Wee John, Sebastian has agreed to be Jamie's godfather (our friend Vicky is to be his godmother) and it really has added an extra and very special dimension to what we all hope will be a very memorable occasion in five days' time.
The Rev Mike briefly referred to Sebastian during his sermon on Sunday. But, when the three of us spoke after the service, the minister very gently asked him if he would be prepared to do a short reading during the christening. Sebastian agreed, albeit with a little bit of understandable hesitation. "I don't want to get stage fright," he explained.
I sent him a text on my way home emphasising the fact that he was under no pressure from anyone to read if he really didn't fancy it. But, later that evening, I received a response essentially saying that, because I had run the marathon for him last year, giving a little speech at Jamie's christening was the least he could do.
Sebastian doing a reading would be incredible and would undoubtedly bring the house down. But, as they say, it's the thought that counts. And, by agreeing to be Jamie's godfather, he's already more than done his bit in our eyes.
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