Joining Amanda at Soulemama for this moment.
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.
Two months?? Already? As Dan cruelly reminded me tonight, Mira is getting older. I am not ready but it’s inevitable. While she grows up too quickly I’m enjoying special moments. Snuggles, chubbs, sibling love, baby wearing, gurgles and sweet, sweet smiles…it’s wonderful.
So wonderful.
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Mira is wearing her puerperium, notes here.
We’re heading home today. Saying goodbye to our beloved ocean and majestic forests. Goodbye to multiple bathrooms, doting grandparents and the self-cleaning kitchen (oh, that was the grandparents, too). Trading green, rainy and temperate for brown, dry and a looming winter.
But lest I sound too mournful, we are looking forward to being home. There is just something about being home that always feels right. Sleeping in our own beds, catching up with the friends we’ve missed, making plans and getting back to our schedule. Not to mention the last of the applesauce that needs putting by – I’ve missed those market visits.
Our trip begins with the ferry ride – always a crowd pleaser. Then we settle in the for the long ride aided by audio books, sketch pads, ginger, peppermint and sea bands, along with plenty of snacks. Plenty.
Wave if you see us!
It’s Thanksgiving here in Canada. We’re celebrating by enjoying this last weekend on the West Coast before heading back home next week.
There are wonderful smells as a chicken roasts with all the fixings, football on the television as Dan laughs in despair as his team loses yet again, a knitting pattern on the needles (perhaps the provisional cast-on has been conquered) and plans for an autumn walk while the bird cooks.
I am full of gratefulness as I reflect on this wonderful and blessed life.
Amongst other things, today I’m thankful for baby smiles, little boys, darling daughters, men in the kitchen, pitter-patter feet (and even their elephant clomp companions), grandchildren loved on by grandmas (and grandpas) and love. Love, love, love. There’s lots of it here and for that I’m ever thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving!
What are you thankful for today?
October 6. 2011
lonely in paradise
Published in beautiful things, out of doors, photography, travelling
We dreamed of celebrating in Paris but decided instead for Tofino. Good thing because Dan nearly had to drag me away…should have anticipated leaving five of the six littles with grandparents would cause tears and cold sweats (from me). Finally calmed down and enjoyed the drive although I couldn’t figure out what to do with myself once we arrived. Settling into needing to do nothing, we opted for beach. Beach walks, beach combing, beach wading, surfer envy (some day…), big waves, inching the capri yogas higher to enjoy more of the frigid surf, wimping out on the swim not because of the cold but to avoid being the crazy lady without a wetsuit (I get enough being the crazy lady with “all those kids”). A walk through the forest, a lookout discovered, secret tide pools, macro lens love, a little lady happy all day in her Ergo. And just because we could: a late night dinner overlooking the ocean which found me ravenous and heavy-lidded but not needing to rush for anyone’s bedtime (except my own); pizza on the beach, out of the box, without napkins; snacking in bed watching a movie because it’s not allowed.
Beautiful, wonderful, refreshing. But rather lonely, speckled with not too few “the kids would love it”s and “wonder what they’re doing now”s. Next time we’ll bring them.
Two sunsets. Two sunrises. Two grandparents who gave us a great gift. Two parents so happy to come back to the chaos, noise, responsibility and joy of this big family.