22-Jan 🇧🇧 Barbados (Katie's 43rd Birthday)

Home time, after a fab, Turtle swimming Barbados Birthday, and last night the resident band 'Steele', wanted to thank us for being regular dancers each night while they played, so they gave us both band T-shirts. Thanks for all the birthday wishes for Katie, she has had a lovely day 👍🇧🇧🌴🐢

Katie wanted to redo my trip from yesterday, but we took a taxi, and paid $30 each... even though they said they wanted $40 each!

And I got some pictures too... the best moment was when a turtle came out of nowhere and swam up to us both, and we were both able to stroke it, really special!

And I had bread to sprinkle around when we swam at the sunken ship, so even more fish !

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The big bags were packed the night before and left in the corridor for collection, so when leaving the ship it was carry on/hand luggage only. 

While were were allocated seats next to an old lady, the three seats behind us were empty, to the old lady and her two gentlemen friends all moved and sat together, so Katie was able to lay down across three seats with her head on my lap.

Thankfully the plane home was only 30 min late, arriving at 7:30am (but felt like 2:30am) rather than the 3 hour delay on the way out.

It was lovely to be chauffeured home by Amber, who had even brought us both a bottle of water to have in the car for the drive home. 

My Young Wife (my Queen)

Katie & I have made an effort to have more dates together. The foundation of any family should be built on the relationship between husband and wife. So thanks to all who have helped us have time together over 8 years of or marriage. And this is why we have needed help:

• May 2009 will be our 100th Month of Marriage
• Katie has been pregnant and very Ill for 18% of our marriage.
• 70% of our married has involved either a bump or baby under 2 years old.
• Only 15% of married life with no kids under the age of 3.

So on Wednesday we enjoyed getting ready to go out, choosing some nice clothes to wear, etc. We have lots of dates recently where we have been dancing, but this time we were going for a relaxing meal and a movie. The food and atmosphere at Nando's was a lot of fun. I love to see Katie when she is laughing, her eyes light up and her smile is infectious.

We stepped out of the restaurant and up the steps to the cinema. We had wisely purchased our Orange Wednesday tickets before we ate so that we didn't have to queue for the movie. We sat through around 40 min. of adverts (while I depleted our stash of malteasers/minstrals) and then watched The Young Victoria. It was a well made and interesting film - I think that both Katie and I avoid history questions in quizzes because we don't know much, but we both enjoy learning. The film portrayed some good examples of what to do and not do in a relationship. At one point Prince Albert said that his wife (the queen) was 'Irreplaceable', and that was lovely, I couldn't replace Katie in my life she is unique and I love her.

I'm so glad that Katie & I are equally yoked - but also that we have different strengths.

• I'm quite good on getting by with reduced sleep, and have been able to look after the children in the night while Katie gets the sleep that her body needs.
• Katie is able to make good decisions and get on with things, if not for Katie's passion & drive we may well have been still living in our first small flat - with the old tied flowery wallpaper to boot.

Another thing that differentiates us is the ability to spot a face. I will often know the name of some actor/actress and know other films that they are in, but Katie can spot a face. For example I as sure that the actor playing Sir John Conroy was Jason Issacs, but Katie said that it saw the same actor that played Septimus in the film Stardust (Mark Strong) - and after a quick look on IMDB.com I can say with certainty that she was right. She also said that she recognized the actor playing Prince Albert (Rupert Friend), she remembered him in a military uniform, and what do you know - she was right again. He played Mr. Wickham in Pride and Prejudice.

I have learned a lesson - that not only is my wife my equal she is also my superior in many, many ways: Charm, Charisma, Capacity for loving and learning, etc. But when we have a differing of opinions she is almost always right, and when she has ever been 'out righted' by me, it is of little importance.

Wow. What a lucky guy I am!

My Wife

I have not written about my wife very much, and wanted to take a few minutes to say how much I love her.
It seems strange how over a long period of time your children grow up day by day, and you don't notice; and then one day you realise just how much they have changed. Well I think the same applies is marriage. Looking back over the last 7 years since we met it is amazing to think how much closer we are, how much we have invested in each other, and how much we have collectively gained.
In the Bible it talks about cleaving unto one another - becoming one. I feel that Katie is just another part of me. I always look forward to sharing my life with her, time together, or shared experiences when we are apart.
I found this quote which I have modified:
"A [Spouse] is one who knows who you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still gently [encourages] you to grow."
- William Shakespeare [+ Alan]