A Rarity: A blog in pictures

I don't think I've ever done a photo blog before, but now seems to be a good time to start. As you know Joe and I received the 'community service' award from the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. We are not photographers and have very few pictures of events in our life together. However, at this occasion we had friends with cameras there. Belinda, in one of the pictures below, sent me these last night so I was able to use them here today. I hope you enjoy having a glimpse into our day.










After having been presented the award, I spoke for a few minutes. That's Joe behind me thinking, 'It will all be over soon.' He's not one for being up in front of people. They guy in the robes in the Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, pastor of the church.

At the end I called Ruby and Sadie up because I wanted to mention how wonderful a world it would be if everyone were safe. The girls were a little emotional about it and came up and gave me, then Joe big hugs. The woman seated behind, in the black tank top, is one of the sign language interpreters for the church.



Joe and Ruby sharing some decidedly secular humour. You can't see her face but that's Dunja, in the white dress, one of the Directors of Vita Community Living Services.

 

 Mike, Marissa, Ruby and Sadie, relaxing before the service. Ruby was giving the dog, Puffy Puff, who she named herself, instructions on behaviour and Sadie was checking out the sound system.
 

 Joe has always had the ability to be the life of the party. We went out for tea, coffee and snacks after. That's Joe's niece Shannon, who flew out from B.C. to be here, with us. And beside her is Cathy, one of the Behaviour Therapists on my team at Vita.



Sadie set herself the task of making Joe's tea. She dunked and dunked and dunked the life out of that tea bag. Joe said that the tea was strong enough to revive a drunken sailor.




 A partial shot of the folks gathered afterwards, That's Belinda, the photographer who made this blog possible who is standing right behind me. Susan is at the front and Shassha is right beside her.




I didn't realize I was quite so expressive when telling a story. See how Joe is so interested in my tale?




I don't remember what Mike, Ruby and Sadie's dad said, but I thought it was funny.



Ruby was getting set to head out, full of chocolate milk which miraculously didn't land on a single petal on her new dress.

Well, those are some pictures from the event. We received the award and spent time with friends. I've had to choose from near a 100 photo's and didn't manage to get everyone who came in the photos, sorry. I also haven't written about the ceremony and what it meant to both Joe and I.  I'm tired, I'm drained of emotion. So, the photo's will have to tell the story for now.

One last shot, this was taken of us going to the front to receive the award. I was thinking, 'What am I going to say,' and oddly Joe was thinking, 'I wonder what he's going to say.'



In a flash, the day was over and I'm about to head to bed. Thanks those who came, either in person or over the webcast. It will be available for a few days on the MCCT website ...