My Mum said once, that she never worried if she didn't hear from me for a period of time, because she knew it must mean that my life was going well, and that I was happy :)

There's always going to be periods of time when you will have strong fresh focuses that draw on your attention and time from other things. The first year of a new serious relationship in particular, is inevitably going to be one of those things where that happens! It's natural, but it passes.

Give them the space they need now, try to make light of your feelings of 'abandonment', and you will thank yourself for it in the years to come. As will they!

Humour is a great thing. An aunt of mine was describing the day her eldest son left home to move in with his girlfriend - she said she went into his bedroom after he'd gone, and saw a piece of torn wallpaper where he'd written his name on the wall underneath (like kids do). She described laying on the bed all forlorn weeping tears while tenderly touching the graffiti.. And in the next breath said if she'd have seen it when he was still at home, she'd have given him a bluddy good clout round the head for it!