One Year of Love!

Celebrating our first anniversary

Yesterday Lauriel and I celebrated our one year anniversary!!!

A long time ago, we said we hoped we'd be living together by the time 1 year rolled around, but I don't think either of us thought it would actually happen (so soon, not in general!) - but January 4 2013 rolled around, and we were indeed living together on that day.  Sure, we may have been in a bit of a halfway house (ie my wonderful parents), but there are no tearful goodbyes in our future, so technically we reached our goal.

The stand right behind us, that's where we sat on June 16th
and watched the All Blacks v Ireland... not to mention our
first game together (Stormers), and our third game together
(Hurricanes, with Lauren). and hopefully we'll get to the
stadium once or twice in 2013, though it won't be quite as easy

We booked a motel room for the night and went out to Lonestar for dinner - both getting the ribs, and being as naughty as to get dessert (Kahlua Moro Cheesecake for me & Creme Brulée for Lauriel).  Back at the motel we watched Graham Norton and the last half of Jaws, then I went to sleep - while Lauriel had a shitty nights sleep and didn't get to sleep until 2am.  I know there is the whole 'ooooo dirty night in a motel' cliche thingy... but I think we were both far too tired for that! 

This morning after leaving the motel, we stopped at Christchurch Stadium to say goodbye - it won't be a surprise to those of you who know that Christchurch Stadium is the home of the Crusaders, and also where we saw the All Blacks play, so it just HAD to be done.  We also said goodbye to Rugby Park... for similar reasons (as the name of the ground would suggest) - I don't think there are any other places which hold significance to us that we had to say goodbye to...  That said, we did have to say goodbye to Lauren, which was my first tear inducing goodbye.  Later in the morning it was Jason (Emmy's Daddy) - another tear inducer....

Ribs at Lonestar... om nom nom nom nommmmm

Right now it's 8.45pm on Saturday 5th January, 2013.  In 12 hours time we will hopefully be about 75 minutes out of Christchurch - headed for the ferry in Picton, before jumping back in the car in Wellington and heading for our final port of call - Wanganui.  In about 24 hours time we should be home - and my facebook 'current city' status thing can be changed from 'Christhurch, New Zealand' to 'Wanganui, New Zealand'.  I will no longer be a South Islander, I will be a North Islander.  In the space of a single day, I will go from being an East Coaster, to a West Coaster.  Lauriel's house will become OUR house... and then we can start the real search for our OWN (rental) house.

Dessert time!!!!  As Emmy would say, 'Mmmm delicious!'

The car is packed - and when I say packed, I mean it in every sense of the word.  Every spare nook and cranny is taken up by clothing, toys, books, bags, scooters (x2), blankets, sheets, pillows, boxes.  If I find anything that isn't packed, it's going to be a case of TOUGH LUCK, and getting it couriered up if whatever it is is deemed urgent enough (y'know - like the kids).

After all the build up, January 6th is ALMOST here... We've spent so many months working toward this date, and now that we're essentially there, the next big date to work toward is April 13th... the day we shall officially become stuck with each other forever and ever.  And ever.  AND EVER.  Before April 13th, there IS the beginning of the school year on February 7th, which will be Gaby's first day at Durie Hill School - and she is uber excited that she's going to be going to a school WITH A SWIMMING POOL, and NO UNIFORM!

Our route tomorrow... including a 3 hour ferry ride across Cook Strait