It all started years ago. Before we dreamt about Amos. Before Jon and Lissa dreamt of Neveah. Before Kyle and Jamie dreamt of two children waiting for a home in Ethiopia. It may have been one of our best ideas ever. We began a sort of tradition. A few days’ vacation together after the hustle and bustle of Christmas, the pull of family and making and doing and buying and giving. A time to just be. No grocery shopping, no cookie making, no gift wrapping. Just lots of time to breathe. A time carved out where it is perfectly acceptable to use Irish Cream in your morning coffee, take a nap in the middle of the day, read for hours curled up in the sun, play Catchphrase together after dinner or go for a bike ride on the beach at sunset. A time where the kids, ranging from 3-16, could play on the beach for hours, play have epic Airsoft battles in the dunes, dig moats in the sand while sandpipers skittered nearby.
This year we ended up choosing Moclips, Washington. Right up the coast from one of our favorite places, Seabrook. It was unspeakably delicious. The house we rented fit our three large families perfectly. Surprisingly, the sun was out the entire weekend. The light was so magnificent. Waking up to the sight and sound of the ocean from my bed was such a luxury. It was chilly in the mornings, but warmed up quite a bit in the afternoon. The skies were perfectly clear, the sunsets glorious. The whole thing was glorious. A complete gift. It was just the refresh our souls needed. Being with friends who can make you laugh and listen to you when you cry, help your heart when it’s feeling a little sore (not to mention make you a killer gin and tonic)– I don’t take that for granted one bit. Already looking forward to next year. Happy 2015 everyone.
By the way, I think my very favorite part of the weekend was that my 10 and 12 year-old boys said yes to a bike ride on the beach with me. If you have or have had boys this age you know exactly what I mean.
Beautiful pictures.