An Island Christmas

Christmas with Sean’s family. Colour me both excited and nervous the past couple of weeks. Nervous because this wasn’t like going out to family dinner for a couple of hours, but rather spending 2 days & 3 nights, around the clock, with your boyfriend’s family.

Sean’s family all live outside of Vancouver, so the whole time we’ve been together, I’ve only met his sisters once when they came into town and his mom never. Now I was not only going to meet his mom, but also spend day and night with her. Dun-dun-da!

Actually it turned out to be a lovely getaway, filled with family togetherness, getting-to-know-me better questions, as well as, regaling me with Sean and his sister Molly’s shenanigans as children.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

On Christmas Eve, we caught the ferry to Victoria, where Sean’s sister lives. It was slightly nerve-wracking for me when we got to Molly’s house, but all anxiety dissipated when I saw that Sean’s 2 little nephews were beside themselves with anticipation for his arrival.

You remember how when you’re a kid, you work yourself up into a frenzy at the thought of seeing your favourite person? It was like that. Seven year old Cooper was apparently going mental all day waiting for us. So that brought back flashbacks of my childhood and a warm, fuzzy feeling swept over me.

The night was about catching up (for Sean) and getting more acquainted (for me). Sean and I got the guest bedroom downstairs in the basement. We did our best to go to sleep early as we knew that even though Molly will probably prevent the boys from barging into the room at the crack of dawn (as they normally would to wake up uncle Seany), it was still going to be fairly early in the morning. Turns out that would be just before 9am – which was when the boys couldn’t wait anymore. A piping hot breakfast then opening of presents, followed by an early afternoon nap. (I was glad I wasn’t the only one who needed it!)

Being Christmas Day, it was all about eating and talking and toasting and laughing. Sean’s family introduced me to their yearly Christmas tradition of putting on stick-on moustaches and adorning ourselves with paper crowns. And before you know, the whirlwind day was over.

The next day, instead of Boxing Day shopping, we all headed to Fort Rodd Hill. The historic site was known as the “Victoria-Esquimalt Fortress”, a series of coast artillery fortifications from 1878-1956 for the British empire.

Also at the historic site is the Fisgard Lighthouse. I didn’t even know we had a lighthouse over here on the west coast! I thought they were the domain of the east coast. Although the last keeper of the lighthouse rowed away in 1929, the Fisgard is still a working lighthouse. Having romanticized about lighthouses for so long, I was excited to say the least.

Looking through the rifle-slits of the loopholed gate and wall of the upper battery.

Beach at Juan de Fuca Straight

The boys and their “Funcle Seany.”

After Fort Rodd Hill, we headed back to Molly’s for dinner and to cram in as much fun Uncle Seany time with the boys before our ferry. Because it was a short visit it was hard to say goodbye, especially for little Cooper, who is so attached to Sean. But I have a feeling Cooper will feel better as soon as Skype gets set up.

All in all, a good visit and a good Christmas. I’m looking forward to the next time when we see the family again.