How it began and how it is going now...

Last week Annie and I were at the opshop when we found this embroidery hoop. 

We looked at it in astonishment because it was our family as it used to be. 

Even with Mondo (our dog who died) and Kenny who lives with us now. 

It was so weird, we could not work it out, who else had a family just like ours?

 but it was $4 so we took it home to ponder over.

I have been making a conscious effort to talk about the times before with Annie, 

the fun things that we did and things like the camping trips we had.

A 22 year relationship was a mixture of things and now that it is 

seven years in my rear view mirror, it is easier to remember the good things.

I think it is a good thing to be able to recognise the good parts of a relationship.

To notice the times when we had fun together,

and the things that we did that made us a family.

Like the time when we first got Mondo and we took him around to visit all our friends.

Or the overnight tramps that we did before my hips gave up.

We did a lot of renovation projects and ate a lot of microwave popcorn.

We had Nana come every Monday night for dinner,

and she always brought Arnotts Animal Biscuits and a carton of Just Juice.

Speaking of Nana, she is 99 now and a bit poorly. 

She moved to a different room in the rest home.

I think this embroidery was actually hers, and it was our actual family.

I'm guessing they had a clear out and it went to the opshop.

We have just recently starting hanging photos of ourselves on the wall.

It's the first time in seven years that we have and I think it is a sign that

we are feeling like a family again. 

I've hung the picture of our family as it used to be on the wall too.

Because that is how it all began.

It looks a bit different now, but that is ok.

Have no regrets they say, and it is true.

It is also true that things will not always be the same.

They change, both for good and for bad.

But either way, the past will always be part of us

and I think it is a grand idea to make peace with it.