525,600 Minutes – How Do You Measure a Year?

Four years ago Amy and I had our civil partnership. We weren’t exactly quids in at the time, so we just had a small, registry office ceremony and we all went to the pub afterwards – classy! But we proved that you don’t have to spent a buttload of money. Our venue of choice was the Old Marylebone Town Hall, which is where Paul McCartney and other big names have married.

We had a lovely day surrounded by family and friends, and when I look back on that day I do so with the most happiness in the world. Neither of us are particularly close to our extended families, but having everyone together in one place at the same time made me realise how lucky I am to have such a loving, caring family – and family-in-law too.

So, today, I’m taking a little time to reflect on the last four years. Needless to say they’ve been some of the best years ever, as I have had my Amy by my side, but we’ve been through a lot in that time as well. I totted up some of the numbers and here’s what I’ve come up with.

4 Jobs
2 dogs
2 houses
4 holidays
1 lost family member
1 goddaughter gained
1 Employee of the Year Award
1 British Empire Medal
1 court case
3 sperm donors
17 tries for a baby
1 BFP
1 miscarriage

And a whole lot more! So, needless to say we have been to both ends of the spectrum in the last few years. Some wonderful times and some not so great times too. Some friends have been lost along the way, with others gained. We’ve learnt so very much over the last four years about ourselves, each other and about the world around us. It’s amazing to me that four years have gone by since we had our ceremony. I remember on our second anniversary I was ovulating and we were hoping and praying that egg was the one. Clearly it wasn’t, but a lot of the last four years (certainly almost three of them) have been characterised by trying to concieve.

I’m going to share some lyrics from one of my favourite musicals, Rent, because they seem very apt here.

525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes, how do you measure, measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights and cups of coffee? In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. 525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year in the life?

Let’s hope the next few years are just as wonderful, surprising and educational as the last four have been. In the next few years I’m hoping we will be able to have a wedding and finally be recognised as “wife and wife” and given a marriage certificate, rather than being recognised as “civil partners” and having a civil partnership certificate. More than anything I hope that by our fifth anniversary we will be holding or excitedly expecting our rainbow baby…