Meditations on Life and Parenting
They say that love changes the way we see things – but I didn’t know you could catch it on film!
We went on a boat this week to see the sea lions in Puget Sound. The sunset over the Olympic Mountains and the sea lions were so amazing, I couldn’t pick just one picture.
All images are my own.
Sometimes it’s hard to find a matching pair of shoes in this house. When diving deep into the shoe basket, it’s best to use the buddy system. 🙂
Seattle with its head in the clouds.
In contrast, this is how Seattle looks when its head is clear. Coming back from Covid this past week, I could relate to both!
“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
Going for a hike in the woods. The kids each brought a camera and were prepared to witness, take in and capture the magic we felt from our different perspectives.
Isn’t it amazing how spending time with the young gives us a dose of perspective? And a chance to consider what well-earned wisdom might be worth sharing. 😉
When I was writing the post on Silence for the Pointless Overthinking blog this week, I was reminded of an early morning six months ago when I was sitting on the porch of a cabin on Whidbey Island meditating and heard the sound of a whale exhale in the bay 150 yards or more away. In the calm of the morning quiet, that sound was so exhilarating and intimate. I hustled closer to get a better glimpse of the 3 whales in the bay and took this picture where you can see one tiny little Orca whale fin in the upper middle. But it was the ability to hear them in the quiet that was most gripping.
So I’ve chosen this picture of stillness and calm to post for this week to celebrate all the amazing things we can hear when we are quiet. And also because Seattle has been dark and rainy this week with no great views of much other than rainboots and umbrellas. 🙂
We went for a couple of nights to a cabin on an island about an hour and a half from home. Although our circumstances didn’t change much – we went from being snowed it at home to being snowed in on vacation, our perspective did. Being all together in a different house with different board games magically renewed our spirit of joy and delight.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year with a renewed spirit of joy and delight!
Before I had kids, I would walk my dog early on Christmas morning and notice all the houses with young children bustling with excitement. Now that’s my house.
The presents are carefully chosen and wrapped, there’s so much anticipation in the giving and getting that we might possibly burst and the energy in the air is both warm and electric.
There is no gift better than this for me. I’m so grateful!
Sending wonderful Christmas wishes to you all!
After a week of the entire family being sick, I was surprised to flip through my phone and see that I had several photos to choose from – mountains, snow, Christmas decorations, shopping.
I choose this one because it spoke to me of the drop-by-drop flow of happiness. I captured this moment in a store where my toddler was hiding and laughing while wearing pants that say “peek-a-boo” on the waist band.
Sometimes, even if or especially if, I am dragging through the week muzzy-headed and achy because of a cold, it’s great to remember the joy of the moments when it all came together perfectly and we laughed!
Here’s looking at you, Kid!
Surprised By Joy 