Family Reunion - My side of the story

Coming home from work tonight, checking the computer and reading the new blog entry posted literally brought tears into my eyes.
Steven has been working on the entry about the Fraser Family Reunion for a few days, and today, he finally came to an end with it.
It took him a few days to post it, but the result is touching and makes me being moved to tears.

It makes me happy and very proud to see his attitude towards his family and family in general.
I know he loves his family a lot, and so do I .
I have known the closest part of his family for almost 3 years now and from the first moment on everybody made me feel very welcome to the family. I can call myself very happy to being taken into the family as a member from the very first day, no exceptions. I am very proud to be part of the crew.

He is right, I haven't met the majority of the people who were at the Reunion before, but again: I felt like I have known most of them for a long time, just because everybody is so affectionate and lovable.

I enjoyed myself very much and I had a wonderful time with the folks, that's a fact. How can you not, within a bunch of happy, open and lovable people?

The other side of the coin is that the moments being spent with our loved ones always makes me realize how much I miss my family in Germany and how much I wished to be able to spend an afternoon with them having laughters and good times. Maybe even crying tears, it doesn't matter, just spending more time with them.
I can't change the fact that my family is so far away and that our time together is very limited.
I can only try to make the time we have more special and unforgettable.

My side of the family is just as great and lovable than the Fraser and the Tait Family, and we are looking forward to unite everybody next May at our wedding.
Even though they haven't been around Steven as much as I have been around his folks they love him just as much as I can call myself being loved from his side.
Talking on the phone, emails, chats....all these things do bring people closer together over time, at least in our case.

We are so happy to see everybody in just a week, and we are so excited to finally sit around a big table and drink, eat, laugh and enjoy a special time.
I am very happy about taking my In-Laws home to my country and to my family. This trip is very special and means a lot to me.

Family is important, probably more than anything else. Everybody needs to be loved. Sometimes being here without them makes me very sad and I feel lonely.
But Steven makes sure I never feel unloved. And so does his family.
So here is my personal conclusion:

I was forced to leave my family geographically in order to have an own one.
The family that I was welcomed to and grew into couldn't be any more loving and special to fill the void of those I left behind in Germany.

To close my thoughts on the recent and the upcoming events, I'd like to quote Lynne, my mother in law. After the reunion she sent me an email and these were her last words:

"PS I'm so glad you and Steven came to the Reunion as I think it is important to keep in touch with family but as we are so large it does get harder and harder. I think the people who didn't come because they were shy or just thought it was hokey missed out. We'll be doing a similar thing in Germany on Sept. 8th with your family and friends and I look forward to it."

I couldn't have said it in better words myself. Thanks Lynne!

One Week To Go (Fraser Family Reunion)

Today Patricia and I hopped on the Skytrain and headed east. My mom and step-dad picked us up at King George Station and we drove to Chilliwack.

Destination: Fraser Family Reunion. My mom's maiden name is Fraser; her father was born in Scotland and is where I get my
Scottish roots from.

I was happy to see my mom's brothers were there, my uncles. Three in total. Kevin the affable one, Keith the studious one and Chuck well... the smart ass. (we love you Uncle Chuck it's part of your charm).

I haven't seen a lot of them over the last several years, but my childhood was full of time spent together. Sometimes I miss them dearly and wish we saw more of each other.

But memories of my childhood remain. The times spent together over Christmas and different holidays comes marching back whenever I see them. I never feel more like myself than I do when I'm around this side of my family.

Sadly My mom's father, my hero, my inspiration to be a man, and my grandfather passed on in July of 2003 from cancer. And could only be there in spirit. A spirit gracefully embodied by a cousin playing the pipes to the crowd - echoing majestically through the misty Cascade mountains.

I think we all cried a few private tears then in loving memory of my grandfather.The sound of pipes, just the thought of him always fills my eyes with tears and my heart with sadness.

He was a strong man - fought in the war at a young age, was proud of his Scottish heritage, knew right from wrong, loved his home and family dearly and was always respected by those around him.

He had a temper that rears up inside of me at times too, but he was a wonderful person and we all loved him dearly. Our lives were blessed by his presence and we all, the entire family, are fortunate to have had such a man as our father, grandfather spouse and friend.

It was Patricia's first introduction to my extended family and sadly she never had the opportunity to meet him. She'd met some of the family members before but the Reunion marked the first occasion where most of the family were together. It was exciting for me to see everyone and exciting for me to introduce Patricia as my fiancee.

And Donna, Ed's wife did a great job collecting family artifacts and putting together a chronicle of the family history.

The Angel of the family, Jenna Morach, my sister Jeannette and her husband Chris's daughter, was there too marching around in her cowgirl boots. Happy and full of life. She is my mother's pride and joy and makes me feel proud to be her uncle everytime I see her.

Patricia and I hope to give her a little cousin to play with someday soon and, should it be a boy, will pay tribute to my late grandfather and my father by naming him Fraser James Tait.

Of course, and thankfully, my grandmother Jacqueline Fraser was there too. A plucky woman of eighty, strong and smart as a whip. I know it was probably difficult for her as she's in a little pain these days, but it's always good to see her and hear what she has to say. She's always ready with an honest word. And we sincerely hope she is well enough in May to travel to our wedding in Germany.

Where incidentally, we are going with mom and Don in just seven days. Next Tuesday we fly to Germany. We are excited indeed. So stay tuned and keep checking the updates.

I'm writing this entry alone today. Patricia's at work and I'm leaving soon too, but she may add to the entry, give her own thoughts on the Reunion. Anyway, thanks for reading and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

And a special thanks to Morris and Judy for hosting the party.

PS
Check the bottom of the page for another picture.

12 Days to Go,.....& about how to be a freegan

nothing worth today to write a blog entry about,...
today was the opposite from yesterday: getting up early in the morning at 6, going to work, well: working all day, little doctor appointment afterwards and then going home on the stinking bus in the middle of the afternoon. everybody is hot, sweating, and dying to have a cold drink anyway.

Since I am back on the sauce again.... we went to the Reef. The sun is shining right into our faces, the beer is cold and already makes you forget about the looong day at work or the shitty ride home on the bus.
This IS summer! And it totally feels like it!

Anyway: we need our friends' help here for a second: we were quiet amazed about what we learned about some peoples' eating habits today, just by watching and listening to out table joiners:

Who knows what a freegan is???? Has anybody heard that expression before? Well, we haven't, but we now know what it is supposed to mean.
A freegan is a vegan who is a vegan until it comes to eating free food.
Let's say: (and this is the case that we observed today at out table): the girl orders her dinner and makes sure it is vegetarien/vegan. OK fair enough. Shortly after the order was taken the server brings bread up to the table. A little bit confused she asked her buddies if the bread is vegan. He says no, but it comes with the meal.
Again, a little confused she wants to know if the bread is vegan, but unfortunately the answer to this question is out of her friends knowledge.
OK...it didn't take long until she decided to be freegan instead of vegan tonight, because why would you turn down free food?

It's easier to be a militant vegan when you're full, but when you're hungry and there's free food floating around, it's a little harder. Good work Freegan's .

"But chances are, you've heard that "other" definition of freegan. You know the one-- the one about the person who's usually vegan, but then someone gives her half a ham sandwich, and since she didn't pay for it, says it's "freegan" and eats it. Basically, someone looking for loopholes to still eat meat."

You suck. You Vegan hypocrites. I'm so sick of these vegan/vegetarian, climate change exaggerating, but do nothing about it, smelly, hemp wearing and fair trade coffee drinking reprobates.

More on climate change in upcoming blog posts but for now, you either eat meat or you don't. Political, health, trend what ever your reason for deciding not to eat meat, do it all the time, but shut up about it.

I don't want to hear it. We did not climb and claw our way up to the top of the food chain for millions of years, just to sit around smoking apple flavored Hukkahs and eating Tofu. Do I extol the virtues of eating meat? No. I just do it.

13 days to go,....

Here we are again, 13 days before we leave to Germany...
I am off today and I couldn't have spend the day better than I did.
First of all, we got up late, and then, Steve went to work. That meant I had all the time in the world to spend with my new baby, the MacBook, which I am still sooooo excited about.
For the first time today I used it for phoning Mama & Papa in Germany via Skype with the videocamera. Sooo much fun I tell you!


Then I met Rebecca (that's her in the picture),and most of my German friends won't know her, but just to fill you in: Rebecca and I have become very close friends in the last year and I think I can feel very comfortable considering her "my best Canadien friend". She's an angel and I am sure you guys would love her as much as I do.
Anyways: we went to the Reef patio, one of our neighborhood bars, watching the sun go down and having some beers.
We were being good girls and left early enough not to be hungover tomorrow morning at work. We all know that's no fun!

Now it's 8.15 and here I am lying in our bed, covered in the white summer sheets, where you can barely see the Mac Baby in, as it is white as snow as well.
That's what I ALWAYS wanted: lying in bed chatting on the computer or doing stuff. We all know these movie scenes......
I love it!

Two Weeks To Go

Here we are lying in bed writing our first blog entry on Patricia's new Macbook. How trendy blogging on a Mac.

We're going to chronicle our journey to Germany with pictures, stories and plans for our wedding. Rather than send everyone an individual email we can communicate to everyone at once.

And you guys can comment on the photos and plans we make as we go along. We leave two weeks today and travel with my mom Lynne and my step-dad Don (who recently became a senior citizen). My mom wanted to help get the plans together. I've never flown anywhere with friends or family before. So it's very exciting in many ways.

Germany is great. Patricia and I were there for a month Christmas 2006. That's where we got engaged. And above is a picture taken in Leipzig, seconds after I asked Patricia to marry me. Yeah I know I was surprised too when she said yes.

I'm not sure she heard me properly, but it was too late to go back; and now here we are almost two years later heading to Germany to plan our wedding.

I know you guys are going to be pretty sick of us by the end of this, but the stories will be interesting and the pictures will be great and there will be lots of other people involved as well. So check it out once in awhile and be sure to make some comments.

Also, for those of you coming to the wedding you can easily track the planning and find out the latest updates and details.

It's the first day of writing too, so check again soon. As the content will become more interesting as we go.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Steven and Patricia