The last few weeks the kids have been very happy to have a hairy, loud dude living in our garage. He read them fun stories, sang awesome good-night songs and played new and super cool games. Sometimes Emily would slip up and call him "uncle". After the kids were in bed this guy would stay up with their parents drinking and chatting and occasionally watching movies. In no way was this weird to the kids because they were unaware that a lifetime ago this guy used to date their mom.
This culmination of years of "friendship kindling" through online chats and lots of music sharing was weird in lots of spots but wonderful in lots of other ones. For anyone concerned that this might be weird for Keith, it was not. He, in fact, said he felt left out because he was the only one this wasn't weird for (apart from the kids). Self-assurance is not an area of personal growth for Keith. He was ecstatic because he had always wanted to be better friends with Devin because they have a lot of similar interests so this trip was great. Plus there was the added benefit of having another adult during some of his days alone with the kids, including the day they all went to the zoo where the helpful lady at the ticket counter told Cian "Yes you can have a map that way you can help your dads find where all the animals are!" (kudos to you zoo lady for being LGBT friendly to people even if they aren't LGBT).
I thought that my friendship with Devin stemmed from my unbelievable tenacity (and that was a large part of it he said) but truthfully, I agree with Devin, we are friends because of Cian. Oh that kiddo is magical in lots of ways and forming new friendships for his parents is just one of them. Who would have thought that the only Speech Pathologist I knew would have a weird back-story in my life and be a superhero to my kid. That all the things I think are cool about Devin are the things they think are awesome too. (Except for musical tastes I think they are still firmly in love with rock and roll and musical soundtracks respectively. Although they did like a lot of Devin's stuff too.)
It's weird to have such a familiarity with someone and not have spent a lot of time with them in the past decade. It's also kind of awesome though to discover the old ruins of a previous relationship, softened with time, and fill it up with laughter and music, 4 am adventures, funk dance parties and movies and snacks. Sometimes moving past the awkward gets you somewhere awesome.
Kilowog!
Friday, 25 July 2014
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
10 years together
I made the best decision of my life 10 years ago. My 24 year old self looking back was oblivious and naive and had no idea what she was getting in to but it's amazing that sometimes trusting your gut is the best idea possible.
At Keith's brother Mark's wedding Keith did the best man speech. Keith is exceptionally good at speeches - something I only found out about him after we were married. His speech at our wedding was outstanding but one of the moments I have been most in love with him was during his speech to Mark. In terrible paraphrasing, he talked about how marriage was sometimes like Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee at the top of Mount Doom. There was a point where Frodo can't go on because the Ring is so heavy and Sam says "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you" and he said that sometimes in your marriage you can't carry your partner's burdens...but you can carry your partner. People clapped in the middle of his speech for that and it was one of my proudest moments as his wife. Keith is my Samwise Gamgee, my hero. I am so lucky to have created a marriage with a true partner, in fun and games, in good times and in bad times. We have faced struggles hand in hand and no matter how bumpy things have gotten in life I always knew our safe place was each other.
My 34 year old self has seen more and done more and been more places in this world. I am less naive but still an optimistic dreamer. I have had the good sense and good fortune to continue to love the soul that fits with mine, my anchor, the bass drum in our family symphony. To my 24 year old self (and Keith's 25 year old self)...thank you for your leap of faith. We have a decade of happy memories and a future full of bright possibilities because of it.
To my partner in crime, my confidante and my love Keith Morris - Happy 10th Anniversary.
Sunday, 13 July 2014
On a Sunday Afternoon....
Yesterday we had a great day.
Around midday we went down to ACMI for the Family Day Vikings and Dragons. How to Train Your Dragon is Cian's FAVOURITE and since there was a free event on it seemed like the perfect activity.
Cian and Em made scales to pin on the big dragon and got to do a stop action movie as Toothless breathing fire onto a viking (Em was the viking). There were lots of cool activities and even free admission to a part of the ACMI which had old video games throughout the ages which was great fun for Cian and Keith.
After our dragon fun we had lunch on the way to Parliament station where we met up with Devin, the in-house favourite playmate of Cian and Emily. We were on our way to the Essendon-Collingwood AFL game. My friends Marta and Chris had invited us to come to see a real match with two very well-loved teams at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). The stadium is huge and I was worried it was going to be a disaster with the kids but Cian LOVED it and Em played on the iPad (not that interested in sports that one). Essendon (who we were cheering for) won 103-39. They were fantastic through the whole game so we decided to chance it and go out for dinner. On the way out of MCG Emily said "Someone should really turn out the lights" (to the stadium) - good observation kiddo.
We went to Amigo's and had our own little area in the back where we had margaritas and nachos and the kids got big O.J.'s and were psyched to be out with all these adults - especially Marta who was their new favourite person. We took the train up to Newmarket and walked home in the darkness of the evening and even with the late hour the kids were amazing and hopped into bed. As Emily was falling asleep she said that Cian was her favourite and that Daddy was her second favourite. I said "What about Mommy?" and she said "Mommy is my best friend" <heart melt> A wonderful Sunday.
Around midday we went down to ACMI for the Family Day Vikings and Dragons. How to Train Your Dragon is Cian's FAVOURITE and since there was a free event on it seemed like the perfect activity.
Cian and Em made scales to pin on the big dragon and got to do a stop action movie as Toothless breathing fire onto a viking (Em was the viking). There were lots of cool activities and even free admission to a part of the ACMI which had old video games throughout the ages which was great fun for Cian and Keith.
After our dragon fun we had lunch on the way to Parliament station where we met up with Devin, the in-house favourite playmate of Cian and Emily. We were on our way to the Essendon-Collingwood AFL game. My friends Marta and Chris had invited us to come to see a real match with two very well-loved teams at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). The stadium is huge and I was worried it was going to be a disaster with the kids but Cian LOVED it and Em played on the iPad (not that interested in sports that one). Essendon (who we were cheering for) won 103-39. They were fantastic through the whole game so we decided to chance it and go out for dinner. On the way out of MCG Emily said "Someone should really turn out the lights" (to the stadium) - good observation kiddo.
We went to Amigo's and had our own little area in the back where we had margaritas and nachos and the kids got big O.J.'s and were psyched to be out with all these adults - especially Marta who was their new favourite person. We took the train up to Newmarket and walked home in the darkness of the evening and even with the late hour the kids were amazing and hopped into bed. As Emily was falling asleep she said that Cian was her favourite and that Daddy was her second favourite. I said "What about Mommy?" and she said "Mommy is my best friend" <heart melt> A wonderful Sunday.
Tuesday, 8 July 2014
Granny and Granddad
Tonight we spent time with Granny and Granddad at their downtown hotel before they leave back to Canada tomorrow. We have been really lucky to have them with us for the last month. Not only because they were gracious enough to watch our kids when we went to Fiji but also because it gave our kids a chance to really spend time with them (and us too).
It feels like a month went by very quickly. The first week we showed them around Melbourne a bit before they adventured out to Sydney on a road trip. After that Cian was on school holidays so they took some trips out to the Great Ocean Road and Philip Island. Before you know it a month has gone by. It's nice too that Keith got to spend time with both his mom and dad; a few trips to the Quiet Man (thank goodness the best Irish pub in the city is so close to our house) and a footy game at Etihad stadium.
As we were walking back to Flinders Street station with our macaroons from Brunetti's I was thinking how lucky and blessed we are to have healthy parents who can rough house with the kids and can travel to wherever we are in the world to join us on our adventures. Thanks Granny and Granddad for coming to visit, for your support and your love. Have a safe trip back to Canada and we'll see you in a few weeks.
It feels like a month went by very quickly. The first week we showed them around Melbourne a bit before they adventured out to Sydney on a road trip. After that Cian was on school holidays so they took some trips out to the Great Ocean Road and Philip Island. Before you know it a month has gone by. It's nice too that Keith got to spend time with both his mom and dad; a few trips to the Quiet Man (thank goodness the best Irish pub in the city is so close to our house) and a footy game at Etihad stadium.
As we were walking back to Flinders Street station with our macaroons from Brunetti's I was thinking how lucky and blessed we are to have healthy parents who can rough house with the kids and can travel to wherever we are in the world to join us on our adventures. Thanks Granny and Granddad for coming to visit, for your support and your love. Have a safe trip back to Canada and we'll see you in a few weeks.
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