Gavin and Kenda aka G and Special K.
We are best friends... we laugh together, play together, work well (and train hard!) together, and perhaps most importantly of all, we HAVE FUN together.
But... do you know how we met?
Our love story is miraculous.
Gavin and Kenda became acquainted at University about 10 years ago. Kenda was an undergraduate student, and Gavin, a young professor. Kenda studied under Gavin's supervision, and eventually went on to do her Master's with him too.
Gavin and Kenda had a strong professional relationship before they began to get to know each other in *other* exciting ways... they learned that they work very well together. Communicating comes quite naturally between them, which is a huge asset in every relationship. Isn't it crazy how life turns out?!
So, how did we get from professor-student
to engaged
...?
"Only those who risk going too far can find out how possibly far they can go."
- T.S. Eliot
This is a good quote to capture the budding of our romance.
Safe to say that Gavin and Kenda are not afraid to take risks and push the boundaries of what is considered "acceptable."
Kenda knew she loved Gavin from the day she met him. She was inspired by his intelligence, mentorship, organization, kindness and problem-solving skills, but mostly by the way he made her feel about herself. When Kenda worked with Gavin, she felt a rush of energy, enthusiasm and that whatever she was doing was "on purpose." Not surprisingly, Kenda took every opportunity she could to study and work with Gavin over the next 8 years...
Since meeting him as an instructor of her University class, Kenda knew Gavin was "the One." She wanted to get to know Gavin on a personal level, but the time was never right. Over several years the two lead very separate personal lives; however, worked very well together. Kenda worked on Gavin's projects, they even co-authored a couple of publications during this time!
In 2014 Kenda went through a profound (life changing!) experience that initiated a shift in perspective and made her more consciously aware of her feelings. She became more confident in her deep Love and feelings of respect and appreciation for Gavin.
And so, against the advice of family and friends, Kenda did the unthinkable.
She approached Gavin with her feelings!Kenda knew what she wanted (to be in a romantic relationship with Gavin and create MORE than research papers together...), but because she really did love Gavin unconditionally, she respected his professional and personal boundaries.
Kenda had to practice letting go of her attachment to receiving Gavin's affections and be patient in the waiting.
It proved to be a worthwhile challenge...
They say that "what's meant to be will always find a way."
When Gavin had more time and space to think about Kenda's proclaimed affections for him, he decided to open himself up to the possibility of a romantic relationship with her.
... and here we are! Two years later... engaged to be married!
Soul mates share a deep, mutual respect and appreciation for one another, as independent beings. This respect allows partners to Love each other unconditionally, so both feel very safe and free in their relationship.
Gavin and Kenda are blessed to have a soul connection with one another. This means that not all of the communicating they do is through language. One of us can understand or appreciate what the other one "means" or is thinking without saying a word! This makes our relationship interesting sometimes... it's difficult to keep any secrets!
They say that laughter is the best medicine...
Then, as a couple, we should be living forever!
Even if it's after (Kenda's) tears, we laugh, a LOT.
There is a lot of joy in our relationship. Sure, we can be goofy, and we have a talent of making any experience (even going to the gym) a riot.
We play often and joke around with each other, which always makes our time together joyous and uplifting.
Here is a photo of us at a Bodybuilding (fitness) show we both competed in (summer 2018).
What a ride!
And we wouldn't have it any other way... regardless of how "scary" a tantalizing idea seems at first glance, we support each other to take on the challenge. We also keep each other accountable to staying on track!
There is so much Good in life and sometimes you need a best friend to remind you of that.
On a regular basis, Gavin and Kenda check-in with each other and have conscious conversations about life.
We talk about the way things are as we see it, visions for the future and occasionally, how to get there.
From dreams for a perfect house, vehicles, careers and beyond... we think BIG.
Mutually inspiration is an important part of our relationship. We generate some pretty cool ideas, and it's awesome to have someone there to remind you that life is good, and get you back "in the flow" when you can't seem to do it for yourself.
We pick each other up!
One of the most gratifying aspects of true love is that it makes you feel free.
When you have freedom to express yourself authentically in a relationship, and you know you'll be accepted (and even celebrated!), you allow your Spirit to play just a little bit more. With that comes even more fun, adventure, uncovering talents you never knew you had, inspiration, and spontaneous joy.
One morning Kenda woke up and said "I want to do a triathlon!" and Gavin helped her build on the idea, talking about where and when she could practice swimming, what would be required, that he would join her, and even telling her he was inspired by her idea. It made Kenda's "dream" seem even more realistic and gave it fire.
In spring of 2018, Gavin and Kenda ran a half marathon together, even though it seemed a bit excessive to some, given the training they were doing for fitness competitions. It didn't matter - they believed in each other and ran the race side-by-side in record speed.
Cheers to doing the impossible and encouraging each other's dreams!
From day 1, Kenda has been inspired by Gavin's deep Love for his children and his commitment to spending as much of his time creating quality experiences with them as possible. She feels honored to have gotten to know the girls over the 2 years of their relationship, to be part of their lives too, and she has tremendously valued their adventures together as a family.
Madi and Lexi have helped Kenda feel comfortable and "at home." They have accepted her into their space with their dad and enthusiastically shared everything (even Halloween candy!) with Kenda. Kenda is inspired by their openness and kindness.
They've all done some super cool things together, from photo shoots, dinners, Christmas and birthday parties, karaoke nights, outings and creative play.
Cheers to sweet embrace of the adventures yet to come for all of us..!
Gavin, Madi, Lexi and Kenda have enjoyed spending Christmas, Easter, Birthdays and other *festive* occasions together as a family.
The four typically go to Kenda's parents' house for a big dinner.
One such experience was last Christmas, when Gavin played the guitar, Madi and Lexi played the piano, Kenda and her sister belted out the lyrics!
We all created some wonderful music
... and even better memories.
Some of the best things in life happen unexpectedly...
Our relationship had adventurous beginnings, and we have continued that thread through our world exploration!
Gavin and Kenda have traveled extensively together - all over Canada, the US, Mexico, Europe, Australia - and even South Africa (before they were a couple).
We have had a lot of fun lapping in the different cultures, customs, history that other countries have to offer. Even if it's just a road trip, we always find a way to check out the hot spots, quirky kitchens and cool things to do.
One of our favourites was a trip to the Museum of Curiosities in London, England. It specialized in EVERYTHING macabre, from shrunken heads to cat skulls and body parts in jars. It had a delightful high-end cocktail bar just above, where we witnessed girlfriend get-togethers and chatty first dates amidst the taxidermized cats, stuffed reptiles and profane art.
It was a fabulous adventure to remember for sure!
Where to next? :airpl
Anyone who has experienced us as a couple knows that we love to indulge!
More love, more life, more joy, more... food!
Whether it's clotted cream fudge, Devonshire cream tea, unlimited sushi, or an all-you-can-eat buffet, Gavin and Kenda have enjoyed it.
We love to work hard, play hard, and eat. Part of our adventurous lifestyle involves indulging here and there and taking in some great experiences with food.
Kenda never considered herself to be very kitchen-savvy before, but since living together, Gavin has evoked the Domestic Goddess within her! Kenda now loves to bake and create in the kitchen (for the whole family
As human beings, we are always growing.
Gavin and Kenda are growing individually, and together in their relationship.
They are building a beautiful life together on the foundation of love.
As we build we grow. We fall, we learn, we expand. We create visions for ourselves based on our perceptions and ideas at the time, and remain open to the influence of new ideas and unexpected events along the way.
Our journey doesn't start with marriage. It started when we were born, and budded when we first met. Gavin and Kenda have often remarked to each other how they called into existence this kind of relationship, it was exactly what each of them was looking for. It's called "Divine timing" when everything comes into alignment and you finally manifest the exact thing or experience you've been waiting for.
We are overjoyed to say that it has happened for us.
Although the path has had both ups and downs, and has been a bit twisty, it's uniquely ours! We want to celebrate that and this *next* new season in life...
So please join us in celebrating our special day, witnessing our heartfelt ceremony of commitment to one another in the warm Mexico sun, dining and dancing with us into the moonlight.
"One way to get the most out of life is look upon it as an adventure."
- William Feather