One of the nice things about our current house sit is that we are within 45 minutes drive of four of our five children. That means we can visit often and from time to time we have family get togethers.
Yesterday, for our anniversary, my eldest daughter had the family for lunch. She has got a small swimming pool in the back yard, and the weather was nice, so the grandchildren were all in the pool.
One daughter in law made us a cake, and also made some cupcakes for the children. She made a red velvet chocolate cake, really yummy.
We are also an expanding family. Two baby bumps in the family at the moment.
I know we are getting old, but the proof is in the pudding. (or the photo) My baby, in the middle, is now 30, the one on the left is 40 and the one on the right is 45. Good grief! I don't feel 45 inside, how can I have a son that old?
The only one who couldn't be there was my daughter who lives in Melbourne. But she had a good day, she ran a half marathon in great time. All my children are pretty active in sports, doing marathons, involved in iron man's, road cycling etc. Peter was a long distance runner until his hips gave up, and the children seem to have the same 'sporty' gene from him, they can hit the pain barrier and keep going straight through.
How have we stayed together for so long? Many factors come into play. I read many years ago this quote, 'What is the best thing that a father can do for his children? Love their mother.'
How true, and I have to say that in this regard Peter has excelled. He has been a very good father, a good provider and a good role model for all five children. As a consequence, we have a united family, and everyone gets on very well together. If one needs help, the others are there. We don't live in one another's pockets, and we have always kept a 'no interfere' policy in their married lives, available for advice when asked, but rarely poke our oar in uninvited. I've also kept a very strict rule about confidentiality,if there are secrets to be told, I'm not one to spread them around the rest of the children, and that seems to have flowed on, because although there is lots of the normal chatter about life, we don't have a 'gossipy' problem in the family. I know for a fact that from time to time whenever we have needed help, they are on the doorstep ready to do whatever is needed. I can say that I trust them all implicitly, and that's a great feeling.
As for Peter, well, he has never lifted his hand to me, we have never yelled at one another, we have never fought like many couples seem to,never looked at another woman, he has never smoked and although he likes a drink from time to time he has never been drunk. He has accepted my mother living with us for some years after my dad died, even though she was the cause of the bumps and potholes mentioned before. She has since left us and at 92 is being cared for in New Zealand.
When the children were babies, he would feed them, change the nappies, do the washing and ironing and do any housework needed. He still does lots of work around the house as needed.
He is also not a 'stick in the mud', so even now, we are ready for a challenge, happy to move around house sitting, see new places, meet new people, and spread our wings. One day we will have to settle down but for now we are still two old birds on the wing.
And here is our youngest daughter running the half marathon, she is the one in yellow. Four kms to go.
