Social worker Evie Smith, 33, fell pregnant within months of trying for a baby with her husband, Peter, 64.
“The other day, out in the park, a woman came over and said how lovely it was to see a granddad and grandson playing together," Smith said.
“Not long after, Thomas was at a friend's birthday party and a mum messaged to say my dad seemed lovely. At first I was confused, wondering why my dad had turned up. Then I realized she was talking about Peter. We just laughed about it, though. We wouldn't be together if that kind of thing bothered us."
Nothing about their relationship has been conventional, according to Smith, who explained how they met in January 2012 soon after she started attending a local church.
“I'd only been a member of the congregation for a few months and I became friendly with Peter's ex-wife – who he'd divorced years before but was still friends with," she said.
“We were hanging out one time and she asked me back to her place."
“Peter was there and when she introduced us, she said, 'You're going to fall in love with this girl,'" she continued.
“Although, I'm sure she only meant it in a platonic sense!"
While it was not love at first sight, she and Peter began to spend more time together discovering common interests, which led to sparks flying.
“It definitely wasn't an instant romantic attraction," said Smith. “But we soon started to realize how much we had in common."
“We both loved 70s and 80s music – especially Led Zeppelin – and liked the same films"
Then, in May 2012, after enjoying fish and chips together on the beach front, Peter invited her back to his place to watch "The Shining" and they shared their first kiss.
“At the time, we didn't realize it was a date, but by the end of the night it clearly was," she said.
“We watched the film and then another. Then we cuddled and a few kisses were exchanged. By the time I left it was 2am."
Soon after, her mom Susan, joked that romance was in the air.
“After about two weeks or so, Mom turned to me and said, 'Is there something going on between you and Peter?'" Smith recalled.
“I told her there was, unsure how she'd react, but she said that as long as I was happy then she was, too. She accepted the relationship from day one."
“I asked how she'd known there was something going on and she said it was fairly obvious from the way I couldn't stop talking about him!" she said.
“Not long after, Peter was invited for dinner at my parents' house and met my dad. Dad was quite blunt. He said he wasn't too happy that his daughter's partner was only three years younger than him, but that he could see he made me happy."
Sadly, not everybody has been as positive about their age gap love.
“Peter has had people ask, 'Can't you find someone your own age?'" Smith continued.
“But most people are supportive and my best friend wasn't surprised at all. I'm known amongst my friends for being the mature one, so they see Peter as a perfect match."
Just six months into their relationship, Smith had spinal fusion surgery at Queensland's Allamanda Hospital, and Peter was her rock, she knew she had found "the one."
In recovery for five days, he never left her side and treated her to a romantic lunch to celebrate on the day she was discharged.
“People would say in the hospital, 'Should we ask your dad to stand outside?' I'd have to explain that he was my partner," she said.
“We laughed about it afterwards. He took me out in a wheelchair and before lunch we swung by a jewelry shop," she continued.
“He told me to pick out my favorite ring and over lunch asked me to be his wife. We moved in together the same week!"
Tying the knot in October 2013, they enjoyed an intimate wedding at a coastal golf resort.
Less than six months into married life, they started trying for a family.
“We'd talked about having children right from the start and Peter had made it clear he was unsure about the idea, “she said.
“That hadn't fazed me, as having children wasn't a number one priority for me," she said.
“But something shifted after we got married and I knew I wanted to give it a try. I broached the topic and Peter's initial reaction was, 'Hell no – I'm too old to be a father.' He soon came around to my way of thinking, though."
After missing her period in May 2014, Evie was shocked to discover she was already pregnant.
“Everyone was extremely excited," she recalled. “Especially Peter's family."
“People thought we would never have kids," she said.
After a textbook pregnancy, Thomas was born at Pindara Hospital, Queensland.
Discharged after five days, the couple were soon enjoying family life.
“It was a smooth pregnancy followed by a perfect birth," Smith said.
“It was a lovely time for us and Thomas was the happiest baby we could have asked for. Everyone was so smitten with him. We never had to worry about finding a babysitter."
Smith regularly posts about her relationship and life as age gap parents on social media.
“We're very open on social media about our relationship," she said.
“Some people have been negative, saying they feel sorry for me, because I must be sexually dissatisfied or bored."
But she doesn't let the negativity get to her.
“But I don't reply to comments like that and we don't let them bother us," she continued.
“It really is nobody else's business. All I will say is that it took us three months to fall pregnant – I think that speaks for itself."
Meanwhile, Smith insists that having a husband twice her age is a blessing.
“I love his maturity and his wisdom. We share similar values that I might not find in someone my own age," she said.
“I never wanted to date a party animal. He's a very hands on dad, which is hard to come by in younger men, who are busy focusing on their social life or career."
“We've been married for nearly seven years and I fall more in love with him every day," she concluded.
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