This past weekend Dave and I made a very quick visit to New Zealand, this is something that I have been wanting to do ever since Dave went 6months into our relationship.  Dave’s Dad’s side of the family is born and bred kiwi and apart from joking about the fact the New Zealand is really just another state of Australia, and mentioning the abundance of sheep I really didn’t know all that much about it, but was curious to see where his family was from and to be able to visualize the places and people they talked about.

I was really thankful to meet the rest of Dave’s family at our wedding last year when his Uncle and Aunt and cousins came for a flying visit of their own, just for us.  But I didn’t really get a chance to hang out with them and get to know them, it was just an introduction because before I knew it the wedding was over and we were on our way to Disneyland.  And as I mentioned in this blog right here…  I have been really excited about going for a long time and it has finally come and unfortunately gone.  But even though this weekend was short we did get to spend some time with them just hanging out and celebrating the incredible achievement of Dave’s Grandparents Brian and Jean.

60 years is a long time… in fact in the last 60 years so many things I take for granted were invented or made their way into the mainstream, they have lived through changes that I can’t even imagine, they have watched their boys grow up and move away, one all the way to Australia and then start families of their own.  Now their grandchildren are also grown up and as Granddad Brian reminded us in his speech on Saturday he is now looking forward to the next generation again… no pressure.  The thing that amazes me most is that they have done all of this together… all 60 years.  In his speech, Dave’s uncle Chris explained that only 4% of couple make it to their 60^th wedding anniversary, it truly is a remarkable achievement and for them both to get there in such incredible health is just amazing.

While we were there we were also able to go to church with Brian and Jean and I think that this was incredibly special.  Sure it was a different style to what I am used to and in a crowd of people that I had never met, but it was still nice to be there, altogether, worshiping as a family.  Given that it was also mother’s day it was nice to be surrounded by my extended family mums, seeing as mine was left behind in another country.

I am so thankful for this brief trip, and I am more proud than ever before to carry the name George.  I have loved meeting extended family that I didn’t know existed, as well as spending time with friends that I just haven’t been able to before.  I can’t wait to go back and spend some more time with my other family, learn more about them, who they are, why that’s the case and where the George’s all began.  I guess I just want to live up to my name… the most curious George… especially curious about the George’s.

Oh and here are just a few of my favourite happy snaps from the weekend…