Monday, 31 October 2011

Remembering

A year ago today, Brendan, Liam and I set off for Scotland. What an adventure awaited us! Remembering is often bittersweet, and today I feel the tug of nostalgia. I miss Scotland and what it meant for us – the people we met, our little flat on Morris Terrace, the town of Stirling with all its quirks and charms, the freedom to travel, the sense of adventure, the season of life we spent there… I’m happy to be home and am enjoying life here, but I do miss Scotland.

Since coming home I have promised repeatedly to continue updating the blog – a promise which I have neglected to fulfill. Despite all our travels and various weekly activities in Stirling, it seems the pace of things here supersedes what we lived abroad. Though the blog has been virtually silent, our adventures at home continue! Here’s a snapshot of our activities over the last 5 months:

June:
We returned from Stirling on May 27th and spent the end May and beginning of June with my parents. Our tenants moved out on June 1st, but we took our time to move back in. The rest of the month was spent settling back into our home and preparing for my sister Leah’s wedding. We also celebrated our second anniversary on June 27th.

July:
Leah & Chris were married on July 1st – a highlight of the summer, to which I dedicated an earlier post. After the wedding, we went to New Brunswick, where we spent 6 weeks at various cottages and homes of family and friends. It was a fantastic holiday. We both really enjoyed being able to live in with our Marshall family for more than a few days and to spend some quality time with friends we normally see only twice a year. We also had a chance to spend a couple of days with friends we met in Scotland, who were home in the States for a holiday. It was nice to reconnect and to continue the friendship we began in Stirling. Milestone of the month: Liam took his first steps on July 15th!

August:
We came home from New Brunswick mid-August and continued the process of settling into our condo. Brendan celebrated a birthday on the 22nd. He also finished his Energy Management dissertation and dove headlong into the job hunt!

September:
On September 6th, our little guy turned a whole year old! We had a birthday dinner for him at my parents’ place with grandparents, great-grandparents, godparents, and aunts and uncles. Mid-month we had a new kitchen put into our condo, and completed the last of the unpacking. At the end of September, Brendan’s job-hunting efforts yielded fruit: he was offered a position at a private communications firm in Ottawa. We were both pleased (and relieved) that he found something. Although his work is not directly related to energy, there’s the possibility to move in that direction, which Brendan is eager to explore.

October:
October has seen two most significant events: on the 6th, the birth of Jessica & Joel’s (my sister and brother-in-law) daughter, Anna Carolyn Genest; and on the 29th, Brendan’s sister Elizabeth’s marriage to Chris Jenkins. Wonderful ways to begin and end a month!

Anna was born just after midnight on the 6th, a beautiful precious bundle, weighing all of 6 lbs 5oz. We went to see her in the afternoon and fell in love instantly. Her first family function was Leah’s birthday dinner, three days later. She drew adoring glances from everyone, including her big tough uncles (my twin brothers), who both have a soft spot for babies. She partied with us again on Thanksgiving, sleeping in pair after pair of willing arms. We all love having an infant in our midst!

Chris and Elizabeth’s wedding was another joyous occasion. The festivities began on Thursday night, with a bridal party outing to The Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield. We went to hear a band from Newfoundland called The Once, which we all really enjoyed. Friday afternoon was the rehearsal, followed by a lovely dinner at Algonquin College’s International Restaurant hosted by Chris’ parents. On Saturday morning, the bride and her entourage had their hair and makeup done at a salon by the hotel where the Marshall clan was staying, and continued our preparations in Elizabeth’s room. I had the privilege of helping Liz fasten the back of her dress – my third sister to be robed in bridal splendor! It was an honour to stand by her that afternoon. The wedding ceremony was simple and beautiful. Chris and Liz have a relationship of deep respect and true companionship – I’m certain their life together will be rich and fruitful.

After the ceremony, we went to a cocktail reception hosted by an aunt and uncle of Chris’, who live down the street from Blessed Sacrament, where the wedding took place. Photos were taken at the Museum of Nature, followed by dinner and dancing at the same location. It was a great evening - moving, entertaining, and fun. I’m looking forward to seeing the newlyweds again to ask them about their impressions of the day. It seemed to unfold perfectly – a beautiful first step in their new relationship.

Yesterday Brendan and I invited his parents and aunts, uncles, and cousins who had travelled from NB to our place for lunch. That evening, we hosted Owen, Amy and Eloise for dinner. It was nice to be able to spend time with family after the wedding, before everyone headed home.

Now the house is quiet (The Guy is asleep!) and I am flooded with memories… weddings, babies, travels, friendships… so many blessings inspiring profound gratitude. Weddings and babies have a special way of reminding us of the blessing of family, but so do many other perhaps less momentous events – shared meals, laughter, conversations. It’s comforting to know that gratitude can soak up nostalgia and brighten the hue of remembering.