three weeks

Three weeks away from this computer, this home, this town and I'm having a hard time figuring it all out again. What I do know is, we had a tremendous journey. The trip encompassed all that I require out of travels: relaxation, comfort, beauty, introspection, balance. And, as I've noticed before after long forays away, I have a hard time capturing the essence of something so big too far after the fact. Instead I'll try for highlights:

• Eliana spending seven blissed out nights in her own tent, sleeping splendidly to the sounds of the sea.

• Long sola walks and sandy yoga sessions.

• The way Eliana "made cakes" or "made soup" with her posse of new friends and trusty bucket and shovel.
  

• Hiking out to the tip of the peninsula, Cape Flattery, and looking at the insane view.

• Snuggling with my little family.
  

• Long, delicious dinner with friends (perhaps most notably the night the fishing crew brought back massive amounts of salmon that was then cooked in foil over the fire).
• Loving the way other people appreciate my kid (Burns calls her the "floor model" -- gotta love that).
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• Eliana getting splashed by seals and getting touchy feely with anemones at the aquarium in Seaside (since the seal incident, when asked what she just dreamt about, she replies, "Seals splashin' me!"
  

• The bakery in Manzanita.
• The hot tub in Manzanita.
• Jeff and I leaving Els with her devoted Auntie Kelli and Uncle Jack in Portland so we could walk up to this cool little cafe and have a drink, late night style.
  
• The writing and yoga retreat that Becca and I co-lead in Opal Creek. Absolutely perfect in every way.

• Watching the sunset over Neah Bay.
  

• Reading lots of novels on the beach.
• Exploring the intense beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

• Savoring the wild sense of humor and imagination that is developing in my big girl.

• Getting dirty.
• Feeling silly.

• Being totally relaxed.

On Monday we return to work and get swept up in the current that is Fall. I have so much to hold on to from this journey and hope that I can retrieve the lessons in balance when life gets heavy and fast again.