one thing we must do...

a lot of our conversations before we left for our trip started with the sentence: what's the one thing we MUST do whilst in London? there were different answers every time but one refrain remained constant: we MUST see the royal guards. these guards hold a particular fascination with my eldest son especially. I'm not sure the reason or what started it but of course, this was one dream we had to help come true. we even brought along proper attire:

 

he was a bit disappointed that he couldn't get any closer to the guards; he wanted to ask them if their heads ever get hot. 

kentish.

originally, when we started planning this trip, I was hesitant to leave London so shortly after arriving to head out into the countryside.
but I also anticipated that we would need a bit of a break from traveling.
a respite.
a chance to truly acclimate ourselves to the new time zone and recover from the craziness of culture shock.
have a few home cooked meals.
watch a lot of movies (Charlie and Lola in particular).
run about. play.
a short stint in the Kent area was exactly what we needed.

I am so thankful we were able to do just that.
a week in the English countryside.
b.l.i.s.s.f.u.l.
truly.

I didn't want to leave.

the week felt so...English.
everything I imagine life to be in this country.
morning strolls down the lane, mug of tea in hand.
breezes rippling the grasses.
a pub lunch with appropriate beverages and nosh.
doing life with friends.
laughing.
sunshine and rain.
sipping Pimms on the cricket green.
Jaffa cakes. loads and loads.
laughter.
ah yes.
English country life is grand.

Naomi and Darcy share snacks.

English flag turned Elsa cape.

the farm our cottage was situated on...

narrow country lanes.

bricks and red doors. two of my most favourite things.

feeding the fish at the pub.

our lunch spot. been around for over 400 years. that is staggering to my American mind...

a walk about in the countryside.

just outside the cottage door.

life in the English countryside.
there's not much else like it.

the problem with Alaska pictures...

the problem with Alaska pictures is that they never, never do the reality justice.
we took a short break from packing for a few hours to hike in Hatcher Pass with friends a couple days ago.
it was cold. colder than anticipated.
cold yet stunningly beautiful.
as we hiked through the clouds, I marveled that this magnificence in what is essentially our backyard.
amazing.
but when I came home and took an initial peek at my photos, I was disappointed.
reality was so much better.
despite my disappointment, I will share anyway.

to you. instead of goodbye.

the tears came. unbidden.
spilling from my eyes despite my furious blinking.
making pools in the cups of my sunglasses.
hand out the window, I waved.
formed an I-love-you with my fingers.
drove away, sobs stuck in my throat.

to an outsider, our parting wouldn't have looked out of the ordinary.
certainly not a goodbye warranting tears.
just one mom packing her littles into a mini-van in the driveway of another mom's home.
yet, it was so much more than that.
the end to six months of playdates, coffee dates. sanity savers. of long laughs and of silent, shared tears. of moments and memories that anchored my soul during lonesome and turbulent months.

our children forged friendships over creek mud and snails.
dress up and calico critters.
lunches of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cheezits.

we solidified our kindred spirits across the counter sharing too many cups of coffee, chatting about Harry Potter and the insecurities we worry about in our children while we watched samuel grow from an infant sleeping in the carseat to a baby crawling all over the living room floor.

my dearest friend:
I wish I could put into words what these past months have meant to me.
often there were days that I wanted to be no where else than on your comfy chair, coffee in hand.
a stable mooring in the rocking sea life had placed me.
yes, I am leaving.
leaving for a land I've long longed to travel.
a dream come true.
yes.
but there is a small part of me that wishes to stay.
you are the reason there are threads of hesitation pulling through my dream-come-true reality. (and that's not a bad thing!)

thank you.
thank you.
for things you didn't even know you gave.

you are a poem, my friend.
I.will.miss.you.

father's day 2014

I've tried to find the words for this day.
words to describe the joy and fulfillment of watching my children wake up on a sunday morning to find their daddy is home...this time for good.
there really aren't any...no words that can fully capture the heart-bursting emotions of celebrating Father's Day with the man that has been gone for six long months.
I will let the pictures speak instead.

Samuel's dedication. Thank you Ashley and Sarah for your beautiful prayers.

first shoulder ride.