My parents have just come back from a week visiting family back in Leicester where I grew up. Though the purpose of the visit wasn't to tell everyone we all thought that as I the next time I go back to to Leicester it will be Stacy that arrives.
It seems that everyone has taken the news really well, my dad's parents saying that from now on they don't have a grandson, they have a grand daughter. My mum's mum was apparently very quiet for a few minutes before asking the rhetorical question: 'why didn't she say anything when she was much younger?!'.
My dad's parents have told a few of my aunts and uncles on that side of the family - and again the responses have been great. I think the best comment I have heard is from my dad's brother 'Good for her!' On my mum's side of the family everyone is just accepting and speaking of me as Stacy now.
My grandma (my dad's mum) has said that she is worried about how she will react the first time that she sees me. I can appreciate that - it's such a shame that it's going to take so long before I see them again (still no passport, so still no travelling!) The other problem that she sees is our wedding photo. She loves that photo and does not want to take it down. I'm not going to ask her to either - after all I don't want to deny that the first 35 years of my life actually happened.
Well, that's it. Everyone who needs to know now knows. There's going to be some more bridges to cross soon (like Mrs Stace's great aunts birthday party in a few weeks... The whole of my extended in law family in one room at the same time. Gulp.) But, if I can do what I have done so far then I'm sure I can do that!
A bit like breaking the sound barrier, it is so much smoother once done. Soon all those things seem irrelevant and Stace will just walk into a room and get on with life.
ReplyDeleteBeware, normality is not as exciting and angst filled as life leading up to it...
Yay! Good news all round.
ReplyDeleteVery heartwarming, especially the pronouns!
ReplyDeleteThat's a result then.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the wedding photo. Erasure is always going to be a futile exercise.
Caroline: Yup :) I'm going along at a pace now.
ReplyDeleteI've done a two day training course where lots of interaction is needed.
I've organized a mortgage with an advisor (though I still have to see if the life insurance that goes with it will be interesting)
I've brought a car (form my usual dealership too, so no hiding!) and fought another dealership for damage caused to the previous car (plus done several test drives with garages where I was not known, and the shock when I gave them my old license for ID was wonderful to see).
I'm just living as Stacy, and it's great!
Last one to do is the large extended in-law family get together. Should be interesting...
Normal life has resumed, except for not thinking constantly about this issue it's pretty much what it was. That's good, because except for this issue it was already quite good :)
Lynn: Thanks :)
Lelie-Ann: I was amazed at my grandparents. If I'm truthful I though that my dad's dad would be OK, my dad's mum I wasn't sure about and I was really worried about my mum's mum. That they have all been so good is just amazing! My aunts and uncles too!
Jenny: Yup :) I could breath again!
It was a great day, one of the best of my life. Even though it's 'him' on the photo's it's one of the few of me that I can look and and feel something good from :)
Stace