a beach escape

After everything that had happened, hitting real life again was hard, and I struggled and stumbled through that first week after the services were done and everyone went 'back to normal'. It was jarring to try to align the past six months with this new and different life, especially as I was feeling utterly drained and 'tapped out' in every sense. It was rough, and we decided we needed to all get away for a bit of time out together. A little sunshine and ocean therapy combined with a good dose of quality family time was what we self-proscribed. We needed to rest, to reconnect, and recover from the past six months. I needed time to sit in silence, staring at the ocean and either think or just not think at all. I needed time with my precious family who I felt I had hardly had time or energy for lately, I wanted to be healed by their love and sweet company. I had missed them so much. The kids needed me too and I wanted to just hang out with them again, we had to break loose for a bit to get our groove back.

And so, we had five much-needed days by the beach at our beloved Kiama, our family holiday favourite. We did very little but sit on the sand, watch the kids play, splash along the shore, go for long walks and chill out together. We did, however, build an epic dam in a little stream, that was a fun family project! :) And I slept, I rested, I read, I prayed and I cried.  Mark, as always, supported me so much in all my messy emotion. I just felt weary to my bones, I guess grief can do that, huh? 

I didn't even take my camera out of our cabin, just no energy or inclination to do so (I know, shocking, huh?). But then, one afternoon Lily raced to the cabin and asked me to photograph her leaping from a high rock (!!??) so she could review her epic jump. And so I did, and snapped a few more shots while I was out there.

Our quiet, peaceful, happy/sad little week. It was just what we needed. So grateful for this little family of mine, love them to pieces xx

Brothers snacking together on the stoop.

A little quiet craft time with my lovely girl xx

Love being able to watch the kids play on the sand right from our cabin :)

The boy/dad who could fly?!!

This crazy, beautiful, ever-changing mess of teeth :) I love it. She is growing upppppp!

She looks before she leaps....

She dances like nobody's watching...

Snuggled up for the cutest game of hang man ever. Lily made Daddy guess her secret message :)

Thankful.