I love a good adventure.
There is a part of me that thrives on spontaneity. There is nothing like just picking up and taking off at a drop of a dime. I understand the importance of having a plan, but sometimes not knowing what will happen and taking it one step at a time is just refreshing and exciting. Trying new things and doing the unexpected is very exhilarating. There are so many things to stress and worry about, that is why I have to embrace every care-free moment I can get.
One of the best adventures of my life took place at the end of my last semester of university. By this point, Kirsten and I were engaged with three months to go before we tied the knot. We had also spent a lot of time apart from each other as I had just completed my final practicum for my degree which separated us for two months prior.
The month of May consisted of taking a quick spring session to get those last pesky credits to graduate and then the rest of the summer was ours to enjoy. Kirsten was nannying, while I took those last few courses. She was living with her Grandmother and I was living with a bunch of guys off campus. We were finally in the same city and we spent almost every evening together.
You know how I told you how much I love living for the moment? Well, that doesn't usually fly for Kirsten. She is a planner through and through, where I am not. I used to think I was fairly organised. I have learned to stand corrected here. I am, in no way, an organised individual. And much like my indecisiveness, my organisation has become worse the older I get. That being said, I may not be very orderly, but I can find almost anything if it goes missing. Where Kirsten is very structured but has this little ability to 'misplace' items quite a bit. As you can see, we are perfect for each other.
Here is where I get a little blurry on the exact details. Kirsten and I were planning our summer, I had started my last term and Kirsten was nannying up a storm. We were getting married near the end of August in southern Alberta, but other than that our summer was pretty much open. Then Kirsten, I believe, came up with this wild idea to drive out to Nanaimo, British Columbia. Kirsten grew up on the island, and we had just gotten engaged there in December. I love the west coast and have great memories of the island and the ocean. I honestly couldn't think of any better way to spend our summer together.
Now, this wasn't a drop of a hat adventure. Yes, it was spontaneous; but, there was some planning that had to go into it. When do we leave? Who's car would we take? Do we have everything we need for the wedding ready for August? How much will it cost? What about summer work? What about work for the fall? Where will we live come August? Ugh! It's making me stressed out just thinking about it after all these years. To say the least, we had somewhat of a plan and we were going through with it ready or not. We would stay with her parents and be watching our nieces and nephews for the summer... and that is about as far as we got with that. I was looking forward to this trip quite a bit. In a way, it was celebratory of me finishing my undergraduate degree. It was also the first time Kirsten and I could really just take off on our own and experience life together on the open road. I waited awhile to tell my mother about our plan to take off for the summer. Knowing her, she would have her motherly reservations and concerns. Mind you, I am the last of five kids in my family and so my mother is extra invested in me as I am her favourite, but I was going whether she liked it or not. It was the road trip I've been wanting to take my entire life and who better to go with than the love of my life. So, sorry Mom - but consider those apron strings cut!
Okay, this is the part where my wife totally stepped out of character and really blew my mind. The time had come for us to get packed up for our road trip. We had packed Kirsten's Camry and we were set to take off the next morning. It would be a full day driving and we had to get to the ferry terminal in time. Kirsten's mother had flown out to Edmonton the day before we plan to take off. This might get me into a little bit of trouble, but my wife and her mother are VERY similar. They also have that Mother-Daughter relationship that can only be described as bitter-sweet. It amuses me quite a bit. It wasn't long before orders were being made words were being exchanged (lovingly - of course) and then Kirsten turned to me and the next few words she said to me almost floored me. She looked at me square in the eyes and asked, "I don't know if I can handle staying here tonight, would you be opposed to us leaving tonight?" It was nearly 10:30 PM and the thought of sneaking off into the night never crossed my mind until then. Was she serious? She was! Before you knew it, it was 11:00 PM and we were sitting in an empty parking lot in Edmonton making our first road trip video as a send off before we hit the highway. I was ecstatic! I have driven late a night quite a few times before, but never have I pulled an all nighter. I was so game and ready to start the rest of my life with my crazy spontaneously incredible wife to be.
That summer turned out to be one of the most memorable adventures of my life. I have done some pretty cool things, but that road trip marked the beginning of the best summer of my life. There were ups and downs, but Kirsten and I grew to love each other so much more leading up to our wedding.
I learned a lot that summer and had a blast. I wouldn't trade that adventure for anything. We did so much and made the best memories. I couldn't have asked for a better start to our lives.
And now that the summer is about to begin, I can't help but wonder what adventures we will get ourselves into this year. ;)
Long live the Summer!
Daddy-O
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