Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

WHAT A YEAR IT'S BEEN!


PREVIEW OF OUR WEDDING LOCATION AT THE CRADLE OF HUMANKIND


I woke up at 5am this morning and thought, "Next week at this time, I will wake up married for the first time in 28 years!!!!" If that isn't enough to make one's heart stop, I don't know what is!

But it is exactly the right way to end this jam-packed year. One year ago I was packing to return to South Africa to be re-united with Glen after months of separation.

We didn't return to our familiar apartment at Brookwood, but were instead camped out in a tiny bedroom at Craig's, our friend and former landlord's place. Glen's things were stacked in Craig's garage and, as we were only to discover later, becoming a cozy home to the local mice colony.

Then time began to move faster and hasn't stopped! Before we left on our Christmas holidays last year, Glen showed me the Emmarentia house where we were to move in the new year.

In January, we moved and began the process of turning the Emmarentia house into an inhabitable place.
In February, Glen finally got divorced and we began working on the stacks of paperwork required for his Canadian residency.
In March, I returned to Canada to do another tv series and we submitted Glen's application for Canadian residency.
In April, Glen proposed via skype-- appropriate for a romance that began and was kept alive via the internet.
In May, Glen sold the Emmarentia house, left his job of 13 years at the NBI, went freelance as a consultant and I was approved as his Sponsor by Canadian Immigration. I commuted to and from Kitchener, Ontario, for 6 weeks to shoot a tv series.
In June, we planned and booked a South African wedding via internet while I was working in Kitchener.
In July, we booked a honeymoon to Botswana.
In August, Glen arrived in Canada. We were feted at a party given by Gail, Bill & Leslie: attended the Herman Family Reunion; and spent time in the UK with Jonathan, Hayley and Mike.
In September, we found a new place to move and packed up all our belongings while I assembled a mass of paper for my South African Residency. I telecommuted and did some work for a Canadian production company.
In October, we moved and Home Affairs accepted my South African Visa paperwork.
In November, Glen worked like a demon and I got to kick back and join a gym, start pottery classes and write for an e-zine, while keeping wedding plans moving along.
And now, in December, we take care of all the last minute wedding details while awaiting the arrival of our guests from South Africa, the UK and the US.
December 21st we do the deed! December 28th, we head to Botswana and exhale!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

SO THIS IS WHAT LOVE IS........



While at the gym yesterday, I kept thinking of love and how it has changed not only my life, but how it has changed me. If you’re not in the mood for love, I suggest skipping this one.

Maybe what got me thinking was the fact that I looked at the calendar and realized that we are getting married in six weeks! Eish! Better start writing those vows.

Seriously, now that we are settled into our new place, life has taken on an interesting rhythm. We spend most of our time together and after so many months apart, it feels wonderful just to have Glen around. We truly appreciate the time together even when doing the mundane and let’s face it, there is a fair amount of that in daily life.

There is something relaxing in me and there is a closeness with Glen that I have never experienced in quite the same way with another person. Life is calmer and life is good. Problems can be discussed and sorted together. There is an ear and there is a shared life. After all those years on my own, I’m not sure I have ever felt this supported before.

It all feels so right and six weeks from today we seal the deal.