Love- or something like it.

Just a heads up, this is a bit of a mushy post.

However, I wouldn’t be half the person I was today if it wasn’t for this beautiful soul.

I know it might sound a bit conceited, but this man has been such a positive influence in my life not in the last year that we have been together, but for the entire 6 years I have known him.

A bit of background info…..

Daniel, and I have known each since we were in high school all the way back in 2010. even further than that we grew up on the same street!

We didn’t talk growing up and it wasn’t until the last few months of High School that we actually started to talk. He actually rescued me when I accidentally locked myself out of my ex’s house back in the day, and that’s when our friendship was solidified, whilst eating pizza and watching some shitty TV.

A little ways down the road, both of our relationships had ended and we were spending a lot of time together hanging out with a mutual friend and her partner, getting drunk and just having a good time.

Admittedly, he was my best friend. I went to him with my first heart-break, family troubles and everything else that goes along with a best friend ship.

Fast forward to another drunken night at Leah’s, and it was time for bed, There was only one bed available and we shared, which wasn’t really uncommon for us, but this time something was different.

I kissed him, and the rest is history.

He wouldn’t let me sleep that night because he ‘didn’t want the night to end’ I know right! How frigging cute??!!

And now more than a year later things are still absolutely blissful!

He is the person I turn to first, regardless of the issue. Daniel is such a beautiful man, and never fails to put a smile on my face. My family adore him, almost as much as i do!

Daniel has supported all of my life decisions and has given me the courage to do things this year that i never thought possible. He helped me move out of a bad home situation, supported my choice to start working again and is my absolute biggest supporter for my studies. He is always telling me how proud he is of me and well I’m doing. Something I’ve never had before.

Anyway, I’m starting to ramble a bit, this post is just to show my appreciation for the love, support and guidance he is always giving me.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being the best boyfriend any girl could ever hope for.

I love you all the days

Anniversaries

Okay, so, in February of this year, I lost my uncle. He was 45.  Unfortunately it wasn’t one of those deaths that was quick and out of the blue. He grew sicker and sicker with everyday that passed. He was mentally and physically disabled and regardless of my family ties and bias was just one of the kindest and sweetest men I ever had the pleasure of meeting.

For a very long time I never knew that there was anything ‘different’ about him other than the fact that, unlike my other uncle on the same side, he didn’t have any children and still lived at home with my grandparents. To me he was just simply my uncle Andy.

Approximately five years ago his health started to deteriorate, i wont bore you with the details or the long medical lingo. (But, while he seemed healthy, there was nothing physically wrong with him aside from his physical disabilities)he started refusing to go to his day center program which he had gone to daily since he was 18. He wasn’t eating very much and was very lethargic.

Eventually, he was home all day everyday and was barely leaving his room, eating minimally, and only perking up when the extended family came up to visit.

This was a great stress on my grandparents who are now in their late 60s and early 70s respectively, and their youngest son, my uncle James, who also has the same disabilities.

While Andy was the oldest of the four children and James the youngest they were always as thick as thieves. My mother the 3rd in line of the four and the only girl mind you. Was absolutely distraught over the thought of losing her big brother.

When he was eventually transferred into hospice care, Mum, Nan, Pop, Uncle James and I were visiting him everyday, feeding him, helping him drink and just talking to him. By this stage he was pretty much non verbal, which was hard to deal with because he had always been such a chatter box.

This isn’t to say that my other uncle (Peter) and the rest of the family weren’t continuously visiting him, but it wasn’t as constant as the rest of us.

Anyway, back on topic, the reason for this post is that on the 4th of September it would have been his 46th birthday. This will be the first one without him and I’m just a bit lost about how to, not celebrate, but to commemorate it. So I thought maybe writing about how much he meant to me may help me.

He was always such a laugh, with his witty one liners, and his zest for life, there was never a dull moment when he was around.

When he was struggling to walk, I used to push him around my grandparents farm in his wheelchair so he could see all the animals around the farm. (He wouldn’t trust anyone else but me to take him) he would always tell me to slow down even if we were parked.

Its really hard to explain exactly how I’m feeling about this upcoming anniversary, I’m sad that he isn’t around to celebrate it with. But I’m happy knowing that he isn’t in any more pain.

Hopefully he’s up at the rainbow bridge celebrating.

Until we meet again.

All my love Andy.