Greg's ex-wife sent us a beautiful card to celebrate our wedding day
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Cork couple Deirdre Waldron and Greg Canty, who run Fuzion Communications together, wed two years ago.
It was the second time down the aisle for the pair, both in their forties -- and made Deirdre stepmum to Brendan (21) and Ellen (18). And while they don't fit the traditional family mould, PR-queen Deirdre says they couldn't be happier.
Deirdre: "When Greg and I met nine years ago, we had both just come out of long-term relationships. On paper, it shouldn't have worked.
"Greg had vowed never to marry again but within two months of meeting, he proposed. Within a year, we were working together. If any of my girlfriends had come to me in a similar situation, I probably would have said: 'You're crazy!'
"But when it's right, I think you have a gut instinct. I met my ex when I was 16; it's easy to have things in common when you're that age. You change so much in your twenties and then again in your thirties that I warn all of my nieces and nephews not to get married until they're at least 30!
"I used to joke with my sister that while I love my nieces and nephews, I also loved being able to hand them back -- I wanted kids you could already communicate with. Then she saw me at a family reunion with Brendan and Ellen and said: 'You got what you wanted!'
"Remarrying and becoming a stepmum hasn't always been a bed of roses.
"But Greg's ex sent us a beautiful card for our wedding day, which made it easier for the children to come along and celebrate. It was like the final piece of the jigsaw being slotted into place.
"I get on great with the children -- and the fact that they're part of Greg makes me love them even more. I used to think that if I didn't have my own children, I'd feel like something was missing. But I produced a fabulous business instead -- and that's what we'll be celebrating this Christmas!"
Greg: "I met my ex-wife when I was 14. It was real childhood sweetheart stuff and we were married by the time we were 21.
"At 25, I was working as an accountant and had a wife and two young children. I suppose I felt like I never really got to live.
"By the time we were 30, the marriage was over and the kids went to live with their mother.
"There were times when it was difficult but children are very flexible.
"Changing family units can make occasions like Christmas difficult. Growing up, though, I always told them they were the luckiest kids in the world because they had two Christmases! Now they live close by and we're like best friends.
"I suppose deep down Dee and I would have liked children of our own, but we met in our late thirties and it just didn't happen. Now the business is our baby!
"Business relationships can be fraught with stress at the best of times, but ours works really well. I think we complement each other.
"And it's always a topic of conversation; most people say: 'I could never work with my other half!'
"If you look at our mix of friends, not many fit into the traditional box of mum, dad and two kids.
"We have a bunch of intelligent, good-looking female friends in their thirties who are single.
"So many people are making choices not to stay stuck in the muck-- and if that means going it alone, so be it. Variety is the spice of life, as they say!"
Irish Independent
