Happy Anniversary!

Six years ago my daughter and her fiancé went to visit his parents and family up in Canada.  The two of them had been working toward setting up their lives in the Carolinas, where Rhyan (our Canadian son in law) was working and planning to start school along with Erin.

That's right, my daughter is a champion curler!

Coming back to the border and crossing back to the States, Rhyan was stopped because of some questionable documentation.  The lawyer they had hired (and paid) failed to make sure his status was correctly proclaimed to any and all concerned members of our national bureaucracy.   His status was, in fact, not correct, despite the money and time they had spent in perfectly good faith. 

The Wedding (Note: it's not snowing!)

Erin called us that Christmas crying her eyes out; her boyfriend was banned from the U.S. for five years and all their carefully calculated plans were out-the-window.  

I need to explain about Erin.  She is, and has always been a young woman with places to go and things to do.  She has plans for her life, their life, and she was by-god not about to allow a little international fuck up to spoil what they had already set into motion.

Now this, I want to do!

The love between these two young people is the stuff of story; they are two parts of the same heart, beating loud and strong…a perfect team ready to take on the world and leave it changed by their time upon the earth.   I’m not kidding here.  They are seriously dedicated to what they are building together.

Rhyan's Graduation

Erin had to take a year off, move to Canada under the sponsorship of  Rhyan’s wonderful family.  She could not work for that period.  So, babysitting became her way of passing that first winter, just outside of Toronto.  Later, Rhyan’s family transferred eight hours north to the gold-mining town of Timmins (home of Shania Twain).  Rhyan worked and started college studying Criminal Justice and Police Sciences to prep for his career in law enforcement.  No, he’s not a Mountie, although we kid him about it all the time. 

Meanwhile, as soon as her time-ban on work was up and she was legal to be in the country, Erin went right back to work at a premier Vet clinic there in town.  As luck would have it, the Vet had a nice little apartment right over the clinic, which he gladly rented to his new star employee fresh up from the states and who speaks with the cutest Texas-Carolina accent that seemed to melt in the ears of his customers. 

After five years, Rhyan is now a police officer in Timmins, they have bought a new house and Erin went at once to the next step in their plans: The Baby!

That’s right, the old granddaddy here is about to become a granddaddy again with granddaughter #2, our adorable little bump who we will all be calling Brianna as soon as she arrives the end of May. 

With all the miserable stories that the news gives us daily, it’s damn refreshing to see a couple like Erin and Rhyan heading off confidently in the world.  Erin maintains her American citizenship, while keeping her legal status as a resident alien, which will give, if I have this right, Brianna dual citizenship.  How cool is that? 

As expensive as it is to go up to visit them (about two hours south of where the paved roads stop and the bush becomes completely dominant) it may be a year and a half or so before we can make it back up.  So, we’ll be skyping with our new granddaughter, watching as she takes steps and waving at her over the computer screen, as if she’s in the next room over.  A poor replacement for real hugs and kisses, but it does help remove the distance between us all.

Please join us in celebrating their anniversary this year.  We have much to be thankful for and as a father, I could not be more proud.