Grandad

This morning I took Jarvis to his first ANZAC day memorial (His poor Daddy was sleeping, after working waaaay too hard the past month or two). 

For the past few years I've gone to the 28th Maori Battalion service, at Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae nestled at the bottom of Kaiti hill. It really is a beautiful service, with wonderful songs and prayers to remember the brave men & women who have served our country. Another really lovely thing about the Maori Battalion service, is that afterwards there is an enormous feast, to which all are invited. This year we didn't make it, but in previous years it's been wonderful to sit down & have breakfast with some truly interesting people. 

Jarvis thought it was all quite interesting, lots of people to look at and things to investigate. He stopped still when the bugler played the last post, and still is not an adjective usually used to describe Jarvis. It was pretty wonderful. 

The incredibly handsome young man in the photo above is my Grandad on Mum's side. He wanted desperately to join the army - he tried to sneak in when he was still underage, was sent home, and returned the second he was old enough. Thankfully he returned from the war, and remained in the army for many years. It's quite scary to think that had he been unlucky, I wouldn't be here. 

Which is why Jarvis & I (and hopefully Daddy!) will be back at the Marae next year. 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)