20 years

This was originally posted on Facebook....

Part 1: Once upon a time, a long long time ago, well at least before the internet anyway. There was a boy. The boy lived and worked in a place that was predominately populated by other boys. He wanted to meet a girl, a friend, someone to date and go places with. Oh let's be honest here, he was 23 he wanted to get laid.

 

Part 2: Once upon a time a long time ago, when print media was a thing, and internet dating and tinder were not. A copy editor needed to fill some space and selected an older advert to reinsert into that Sunday's paper.

Part 3: Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, at least it was a whole other millennium, there was a girl. Recently moved from a small smoke to a much bigger smoke she worked in a school and the only gents she knew in town were the principal and the care taker. She was looking for her happily ever after. Romance, marriage, babies- (not necessarily in that order). She was also partial to a good session in the bedroom/bathroom/ rest area just outside of Otaki. But I digress that's a story for another day and a completely different social media platform. One Sunday she perused the paper, made a call, heard a voice, left a message. She literally thought to herself on the basis of that recorded message.: I'm going to marry that guy one day.

Part 4: A long long time ago, before the media circus made people feel so paranoid about their safety and suspicious of their fellow man, the boy called the girl... they talked for minutes (like 90 or so of them). Playing it cool he agreed to meet up four days later at her place. They met, they talked, they walked along Muriwai beach and had their first ever kiss on a wall as they watched the sun sink into the ocean. (Actual location below) Eventually (2am-ish) he went home, no one got laid- first date people get you minds out of the gutter! She was in love, he was frisky.

Part 5: A long long time ago, at least before the advertising standards industry allowed ads with the word 'Bugger'. A lot of people were more traditional. The boy had a 5 year plan, meet, romance, engage, marry, babies (2). The girl not so much. Within two and a half years he met the parents (and the baby brother) they had a baby, got engaged, got married, moved across the Tasman- in that order. The rest of the story is, well, for the next post, which will be the last.

Part 6: The twenty fifth of April 1996, many long days, and short years ago, I met the man I knew I was going to marry.. (he just didn't know it yet). ANZAC day is a rubbish day to have as an anniversary when you're married to a man with a military background and a family heritage of staunchly defending Queen and country. But our wedding anniversary was a crap day to have a baby- and we did it anyway, so this is it, our day. Twenty years, 80 kilos, a lot of dollars, and 5.5ish kids later (another story for another day), we're not really in a place where we want to be but we are with the people we want to be with. I love Les more than anyone else on this planet, it's been a hell of a ride and I'm so thankful we've been on it together. In twenty years time I want to tell this story alongside Les, in person, to my kids, grand kids and our friends at a massive freakin' party. Not on a stupid social media platform that sets people apart more than it brings them together. We're too far away physically and emotionally from the people we collectively love. This story is about so much more than a boy and a girl- it's about all the people on this journey with us that have played big and small parts on the stage of our lives together. Thanks guys I'm know that our story would not be as rich and amazing as it is without you all as a part of it. In fact without you lot keeping us sane through friendship and support, even with all the love in the world between us- I'm not 100% sure I would even have had this day, and this man to celebrate. We love each other, and we love all of you! xo