A Year Ago...

We bonded over this DVD!

A year ago, Lauriel and I were probably sitting on my couch - getting ready to watch the RWC 2011 DVD that we had both purchased copies off that day (along with buying a RWC 2011 related book each)... There is no doubt in my mind we'd have been laughing, giggling like idiots, making rude jokes,  and feeling that the two of us being on the same couch, in the same room, in the same house, in the same suburb, in the same city, was quite simply meant to be.  Little did we know that 5 days later the 'meant to be' aspect of US would evolve into something a lot more intense and forever-ish (that's a word... or it is now). 

Pav... we ate a LOT of Pav...

A year ago neither of us would have imagined we'd be HERE right now.  Me sitting at the table blogging, Lauriel on the chair with Aidan on her leg, and Eloise.... well, lets pretend she's not in the toilet right now!  We didn't know we'd be in love, we didn't know we'd be 3 1/2 months away from our wedding, or 8 days away from the girls and I moving up to Wanganui to live with Lauriel, Eloise & Aidan!  We knew we'd be best friends, but I guess we both assumed our friendship would be played out via text and Skype...

It's verrrrrrry funny the way things work out!

Three of our fantabulous kiddos

Lauriel and the kiddos have been here for over a week now - and I have to say that other than a few little spats, the kids are getting on really well... I am enjoying life as a parent to 4 kids, even if it is more stressful than 2, though I think that's more related to the adjustment we're all going through.  I wouldn't change anything - I really wouldn't.  Like I've said before, I believe everything happens for a reason, and although I know that in Lauriel's mind the perfect situation would be us living here, in Christchurch - but Christchurch just can't be part of the equation for now.  From the start we have wanted to be together, and have said we'd do what we had to do to live together - and Wanganui is that for us right now.  

Don't get me wrong - I'd love if we COULD stay in Christchurch - but when it comes down to it, for me it's not about WHERE we are living... just that we are there TOGETHER.  We could live in Ethiopia and I wouldn't give a rats ass, as long as we were there TOGETHER.  We've had our 12 months of living apart, and if those 12 months taught me one thing, they taught me that I NEED to be with Lauriel, I NEED to be living with the love of my life and our four beautiful, sweet, funny, amazing, kooky, cheeky kids.