12-12 2020

Twelve Twelve Twenty Twenty.

Way back in February we picked this day to be our wedding day. 

No one knew we were dating.

No one knew what COVID meant.

I knew we would not be announcing our relationship, much less our intended marriage, for some time yet. I also knew how hard it is to find any sort of available venue in December - especially on a weekend. 

So I began the search.

Many places were booked. 

The Hart Crown Banquet Hall had a tentative Christmas party booked. The next week when she told me the group opted for a different date, I slotted my name in and sent her my $500 deposit. And we began planning our party for 175 people. 

We looked a new homes. We looked at empty lots.

We scoped out all the neighbourhoods that piqued our interest.

Jim introduced me as his girlfriend whenever we chatted with people. Meanwhile our family and friends were oblivious. (Or perhaps suspicious and/or hopeful, but we hadn’t ‘come out.’)

We picked out Lot 25 in the new little Forest Park subdivision and told the developer we'd put pen to paper and commit when I returned from Maui in March.    

It was my intention to have a chat with Brandi while in Maui to let her know the direction my life had taken. Well, yeah. Maui was a whirlwind of people and activity and the convo never happened. 

And COVID came to Canada while I was in Maui.

And you know the rest of the story... 

There'd be no grand engagement party.

There'd be no 12-12-2020 party for 175 people.

By May it was clear that it was going to be a very long time before parties of more than 50 were going to happen. And we weren't willing to wait.

Oh, we could have still held onto 12-12-2020 as our date. But I'm so grateful to Jesus that we opted to have a summer party with just our kids and grandkids and a handful of local friends and family, keeping our numbers to 51. (Always gotta be a bit of a rebel. Ok, actually I forgot about the photographer when we were tallying invitations.) 

Now here we are at "twelve twelve twenty twenty" and had we waited, we'd be having six guests. We have more kids than that. (Our children, grandchildren and spouses number 27.) 

So anyway here's us being grateful once again for the way God's hand has worked things out for us. 

Twelve Twelve Twenty Twenty. Heading out for celebratory dinner in our wedding colours. 

 Turns out that August 3, 2020 was the best day ever. 

August 3 is our anniversary, but 12/12/2020 will always hold a special place as well.