Journey

From our family to yours we wish you a Merry Christmas.  Colt made a comment yesterday ‘I don’t remember what I got last Christmas’ which shows how little ‘stuff’ matters.  I certainly don’t remember what I received from Santa.  What matters is the traditions we establish.  In our house his includes; sourcing and decorating a Christmas tree, counting down the days with an advent calendar, baking deserts and sharing a family movie on Christmas eve, opening a few special presents under the tree on Christmas morning, then being immersed in extended whanau for a delicious lunch.  A few years ago Nana Honnor and my Auntie Bev handed down the reigns of host to my cousin Wendy and I.  Today there were 19 for lunch at our home. 

Colt celebrated his 12^th birthday on Monday.  It was hard for me to go to work and stay there.  Colt is growing up, it feels as if the years accelerate.  The opportunity to spend his special day with him is slipping away.  Sean was the lucky one.  He and Colt had lunch together, spent Colt’s voucher at EB Games and went to Avatar the Way of Water at the movies.  Sam and Caitlyn came for takeaways for dinner.  Unfortunately Colt has been under the weather from the middle of this week with something viral.  I also haven’t been 100% due to severe hay fever.  Both of us have had multiple Covid swabs which thankfully have been negative. 

Rory had his final session with Support Carer Caleb who is looking for a new career direction in 2023.  He will miss the male company and browsing for inappropriate presents in Acquisitions.  On Monday he and Caleb met with Physio Josh from ACC to do stair work in Pukekura Park.  Rory went to the movies on Tuesday with Tash and had a blood test to measure his hormone levels before he received his 14-week Testosterone injection on Thursday.  Rory and Tash also volunteered at the Junction and Doggy Day Care and he continued to work out daily at the gym. 

I had an epiphany on my early morning bike ride yesterday.  One of my greatest joys is being active outside under the big open sky.  When I leave the house in the early morning to head to the gym, and when I exit the gym after a workout, I look up into the sky and take a big breath of fresh air.  I feel a sense of release into the open space.  I feel free.  In that moment I know no matter what challenges are ahead for us with Rory we will continue to do what we have always done, keep moving forward, learning, adapting and striving for an exceptional life.