Sucia Island

Oh my goodness, we look so weary here. But it's that great kind of weary that follows four full days of island sun, fog, water and woods. Our dear friends, Lena and Kris, invited us to join them for our first trip to Sucia Island (a small, uninhabited island in the San Juans) last month. Aside from it being one of the most beautiful places on earth - can the Northwest be any more spectacular? - it was a fantastic place for kids to explore and run wild. So here we are on the dingy on our way back to the boat for our journey home, and we were all seriously tuckered but tremendously rejuvenated.

Kris and Isaac

Lena

Edison

It's so much fun watching Eddie (and Phoebe) come into their own. At a year and a half, these two are carrying up the rear with great humor and grace.

Exploring coastal shores is truly amazing. The adults were almost more geeked out about jelly fish and hermit crabs than the kids.

They thought I was still futzing with the camera.

Okay, Mama's ready. These two slay me.

This was the view from our tent every evening. As the sun set, the kids carried bucket after bucket to the shore, building and digging and laughing.

Isn't that light delicious?

This is the view from Little Sucia. If you enlarge the photo, you can spot our bright orange tent in the background. Pretty shabby scenery, huh?

Paradise

It was an unbelievably magical trip, and we feel grateful beyond words that Kris, Lena and the boys were gracious and kind enough to invite us. They have an awesome boat and an awesome family. Thanks, you guys, we love you!

One more thing... I know I use this blog to mostly focus on Stella and Phoebe's latest adventures, but I must pause to write a wee note about my beloved. We just celebrated our eleventh wedding anniversary and are about to mark our sixteenth year together. And while I don't think we've held an uninterrupted conversation with one another in about ten months, I still find this guy irresistibly charming after sixteen years. He may not be the skinny little punk with rockin' blue boots I first met at nineteen. But he's become a man of integrity, compassion and patience, and he holds my heart - as well as our girls' - with reverence and love. I am endlessly grateful he is mine. Happy Anniversary, Love.