Love, laughter, fun and frolic, the fast, fun and somewhat late look into the week that was week 32 in the Carr household.
Late
With such a busy week, the normally Friday posting of all events Carr is, for this week, posted on Sunday and with the extra couple of days, I can squeeze in a couple of extra stories as well. This was going to be a 3 party weekend, but one was moved to next year and in retrospect, that is a good thing because the Friday and Saturday gatherings turned into much later events then we might have thought. For party details and all that is safe to print, see “Friday” and “Saturday” below!
Sunday Love
41 people gathered in a house in Brampton, under the impression they are there for a holiday celebration, a thought not hard to justify due to the time of year and given the newly fallen blanket of snow on the ground, but the truth is that the reason for the event is so much more then that. Exactly 5 years earlier two people met, started dating and over time fell in love so much so that on this day, in front of their children and all these witnesses they want to declare their love aloud and commit this love to one another for the rest of their lives.
The hosts’ disappear, unnoticed by most, only to re-appear a short time later in an elegant black and white dress and a freshly pressed tux and smiles that light the room. “Did I miss something?” utters someone in the waiting crowd herded into the living room. “Can we have your attention please? 5 years ago we started dating and how we would like to take this relationship to the next level so we are happy announce that we are getting married, and you are all invited because we are going to do it NOW!” Hugs and kisses abound and some tears of joy as well, and then the man thought to be an old work friend is now introduced as the wedding official. He presents the marriage licence and vows from his shirt pocket and just like that we are in the middle of a real, elegant, simple and romantic wedding ceremony that I will remember for a long time. Lovely is, bearing witness to love!
Our heartfelt congratulations to our friends Lisa & Luba on their blessed union and best wishes to their four lovely children for this new found family unit they find themselves in. May the next chapter in your lives be filled with mutual admiration, smiles and the same love always that I saw today in your eyes.
Thursday
On Thursday night, the girls’ school held their yearly Advent Mass at the church and it was nice to get together with so many families from our community. Our school as noted by our school trustee in attendance involves so many of the families in the actual service and it that makes for a very nice service. The girls decorated two ornaments for the “Jessie Tree” and we got to place them on the tree after reading each of the items’ meanings. This is our third year doing it and it was fun. Nathalie helped out with the food after the service and we all pitched in to get the church hall cleaned at the end of the event.
Friday
It was nice to be able to attend the Friday awards celebration at the girls’ school and especially nice because one award had a Carr girl name on it! Congratulations to Jordyn on her Personal Growth Achievement Certificate this school term. You have worked very hard and we are so very proud of all that you have achieved. A special note to Julia also, that the award you where recognized for a couple of weeks ago, will be given out next term and we look forward to that ceremony as well. It is nice to see that others feel as strong about how great our kids are as we do!
Friday night
Every year the most energized and eclectic group of people I have ever met, get together and have a holiday celebration in a small house in downtown Toronto and I so look forward to the event every year. Organized by the home owners, M&M, who are two of my work colleagues and although we missed last year due to bad weather, we have been regulars for the last 4 years or so. To add yet another dimension to the event for us this year, we went without the kids, due to the birthday sleepover they went to. Hanging out past 11:00 for the first time ever, in fact closing the joint after 2:00AM meant that we drove a couple of the last stranglers’ home. We sure had fun!
Saturday night
Another night out, this one at the Beach house and another late night, but with great food and great company, and some fun games, the tired drive home was so worth it. Thanks to Coco, for a wonderful complete turkey dinner (we are told her first?) and for Jeff for keeping the drinks topped up and thanks so much for the Christmas gift that makes lots of noise. We can’t wait to repay the favour in the future when you have children.
In closing
I understand the science of time and that there is a finite number of seconds in a minute, and so many minutes in an hour and so many hours in a day and so on. I get that you can’t actually speed or slow it down no matter how much you might like to, but what I don’t understand is why it is that it just seems that time is flying by these days more then before. It is not just me feeling this way either. Several conversations this week with a bunch of different people, all found there way to the topic of time and the fact that it is already near the end of December and we are all amazed how quick it has snuck up on us. I suppose kids, age and a good life contribute to the effect of seeming to speed up the world clock and I guess with the bad weather on the way I should be happy to get it over faster, even if it only just seems that way, but the fact is that as I write this, I have only 5 days left in my 41st year and hiding around the corner is the start of the next year for all.
Thanks for reading and have a great and safe week!
Jim