So, as those of you who are subject to my facebooking are likely aware, my sister Bec finally married Chris. Obi and I are the only ones that knew they were even engaged, never mind the date of their elopement. And it was so freaking hard not to let slip to anyone!
It was very last minute. In Oz, you need to give the government a month's notice that you'll marry - Chris asked her the night before the last possible date to lodge their notice - but originally we weren't invited. Nobody was. You need two witnesses or your wedding isn't legal, but Bec's plan was to just find some random strangers on the beach and have them do it. However, that plan started looking bad when they realised legally you have to actually know your witnesses, and eventually Chris convinced her he thought we were the best for the job. So we had like, two weeks notice to get the time off work, hire a car and find clothes. (The last thing they assured me was not necessary, but hey, we wanted to look the part. >.> )
After work on Thursday (and Obi had a bit of trouble extracting himself from work on time to get the car, he barely made it) we fed our fish, and Bec's pets, and hit the road. For some reason we always end up traveling at night, which makes it even harder for Obi to remember where things are. On top of that, not being a local, he doesn't recognize most of the place names, has no idea if Nelson's Bay is north of Newcastle or West. Which leaves me as navigator. Me and my little HTC phone. We got out of Sydney without a drama, which was more than I could say on our first adventure, but things went a bit south when we stopped for dinner. We left the freeway, got food (If you can call KFC food... the service was remarkable though, seriously, it was like going to a restaurant.) and then made the mistake of taking the highway, instead of doubling back the way we came to get back to the freeway.
The roadworks on the highway slowed us down to 40kms and cost us a lot of time. But, that's fine. We eventually end up on the freeway again. The signs are saying "Newcastle and Nelson's Bay go this way" so, we follow those signs. At some point, Obi's doing great and I stop paying attention... until I start recognizing landmarks in Newcastle. And I'm like "Why are we here?"
Apparently, we'd taken a wrong turn, and when the signs stopped having Nelson's Bay written on them, Obi assumed he should just follow signs for Newcastle. Good plan, in theory
At this point Bec and Chris start txting me wondering where we are, because we should have been there already (they knew what time we left) and I had to admit that stopping for dinner and ending up in the wrong place cost us about an hour. We back track, get out of Newcastle, and end up on completely the wrong road - as Nelson's Bay is on the wrong side of Port Stephens, we need to be in Hawk's Nest on the north side, for which there are no signs. We lose another hour on this side trip, during which time Chris calls to make sure we're not dead. At least we were going in the general right direction though. 
I start hard-core navigating at this point when I realise that he really has no idea where he's going (Am I slow or do I have a lot of faith in Obi?), but Obi's not confidant I can read this map... because all of a sudden we're bumping down a road in the middle of a state forest. I found us the freeway again, and we got to where we needed to go... only to find out we don't have the address of the place we're supposed to stay in. 
I think, when we eventually do get a car, we should probably invest in a GPS. I swear it's more fun this way though.
We got in at midnight had some wine (chocolate milk for me) to celebrate... and hit the sack... In our single bed. You'd think being 33 weeks pregnant we wouldn't have managed to sleep together in a single, but I guess we just don't need much personal space
The wedding was the next day. It was called the "bride day" instead though. Bec's always said that when she gets married, she's having oysters for breakfast. Normal people think this is gross, I'm sure. But, she was serious. She knocked back 2 dozen oysters and some prawns before her second cup of coffee. I love seafood, but it even make me squick!
The ceremony itself was short, but so sweet and emotional. I've never bought into the "romance" of elopement, but the way the celebrant presented it gave me the ability to relate. The vows were beautiful. At one point, Bec stopped so that she wouldn't cry (and this chick doesn't do crying) and poor Chris thought she changed her mind! (She has commitment issues... or did in the past
).Even I got teary. And I think crying at wedding is for lemmings. I don't get it. But hearing her declare her undying love for him, when she never talks mush to anyone for any reason? Yeah, it got me.
I really felt privileged to be there too. I accepted a long time ago that she wasn't going to do the wedding thing, and that I wouldn't be there as much as I really really wanted to be. And in the end, Obi and I were the only people to truly support their wish for elopement, without the guilt trips or saying "you'll change your mind".
Obi's over the moon. Chris is pretty much his only friend here in Oz, and now they are brothers. It's really nice.
Afterward we'd planned to go to a fancy restaurant, but somehow ended up at the pub instead. And the food was fantastic!
All four of us booked in to a different hotel (on the other side of the port) for the honeymoon night (not in the same room of course). It was by far the poshest place I've ever stayed. Our studio suite was lovely. Bec's suite was... unbelievable. There was a lagoon pool built through the middle of the resort, and they had a room where the balcony opens onto the lagoon, you can swim out from your back door. Fancy!
The next day we hired bicycles and went for a two hour ride (during which I kneed myself in the belly about 100 times) which was fun and relaxing. We were so hot and gross afterward, dying to get into the lagoon, broke out our bikinis... only to find out the water was bloody freezing. None of us got in.
I have my own selfish reasons for being overjoyed at my sister's marriage, aside from the obvious things like really believing that they are made for each other... Sometimes she resents me, being the younger sister but being "ahead" of her in the game of life. But now she's married too, in the same year, and although she denies it, Chris tells me she's agreed to start trying for Children. She's had a lot of health issues, which is probably why she doesn't want people thinking they are trying. But, how great would it be if our babies were close in age? I know they wont really grow up together, because I have to go back to Canada, but I'll be here to help Bec out in the early stages, and her here for me (woo babysitter) and they will be close enough in age that when we do come back it shouldn't be hard for the kids to get along and relate to each other. This really means a lot to me!
Coming home was mostly uneventful. I couldn't find the freeway for the life of me, until we were half way home, but we didn't get lost at all, so woo!
The great part about it was that it was only Saturday... So Obi and I had a full day after it to enjoy ourselves and be together. I love that feeling!
Sunday Obi wanted to do baby stuff. So, while we still had the car, we hit the baby warehouse and managed to get our cot gear. There's a lot of pink. And owls. Owls are great. But, yes, very very pink. It was mostly Obi's decision. That and the range was discontinued, so all those pink owls came at 25% off. They even let us have some of the display items!
Now it's all over my lounge room floor because I don't know what to do with it. It's too early to set up the cot/crib. (Besides, I need to sand and paint it.) But I have no where really to store it.
Gradually, Bec's getting more involved in the baby side of my life. Asking about stuff, and apparently organizing something with other family members. It makes me feel better
Right now, I'm terrified of losing this baby, as irrational as that probably is. But anyway, I went to the clinic today and got a prescription for vitamin k (it's a shot they give babies at birth) and got my blood taken (Middie needs to know my blood type in case I start to die at some point during labour) and that too was positive. I got a nice helpful doctor, and then the vampire was really friendly as well... he was telling me his life story and about how his wife was lucky when she was pregnant coz he did all her blood tests at home... and how he does all his own blood tests too. As you would I suppose!I better stop rambling now, if I'm not over the word limit I bet I'll be close!
But I'm not sure if that's a rule or not! Haha
A Highway is a (very) long, major road within a city/town/area. They have intersections and lights.
Motorways are short freeways that are also toll roads.
And you never turn right off the F3 towards Newcastle! Just stay on the Pacific Highway and you can turn off towards Hawks Nest/Tea Gardens.
(You should detour through the Central Coast on the way back to Sydney. Nice place