Have I ever mentioned how grateful I am, despite my love for the deep dark lakes of Ontario, to have married an Albertan?
I was remiss not to announce my departure again, although I hope contribute regularly enough for most of you to suspect that I had, once again, flown the coop. This time, we headed west to the homeland of my dear life partner. Once again surrounded by scads of family, we romped through the nearly-ripe wheat, bushwhacked our way along overgrown, dried up late August creek beds, and helped with chores around the family farm. Then Greg, myself, and our two little ones got into a great big truck, hauling a great big camper (this being a far cry from our low-impact, teeny-tiny tent in backpack days of 10 years ago) and had ourselves the roadtrip of our life. We wove through the rockies, stayed for a while on our farm south of Calgary, camping on the creekbed and falling asleep to the howls of the coyotes, and then dropped into the Badlands to crawl around on big rocks and bake in the sun and feel like we had moved to the moon. The children were amazingly delighted to be on such a big roadtrip at such a tender age, and we were so close to the stars, so close to the spirits in our joy that we seemed to be all together despite everything that has happened over the years.
Tomorrow, Greg returns to work, and we therefore return to the world that we live in. What a gift this summer was, to bask in the glowing-ness of my growing tummy, to feel the love of my children and husband around me, to remove myself entirely from everything that did not affect my day-to-day existence. It was a gift I will always treasure, and I will look for her after-effects in the year to come.
10 comments:
I wondered where you'd gone! What amzing, breathtaking pictures.
Loving that swelling belly.
xo
It all sounds wonderful--fabulous photos. Glad to have you back!
wow. that water is gorgeous! I would love to swim in that! (hoping it's not too cold!)
Oh Sweet Mama!
How we have missed thee! So, so very glad for your beautiful adventures...I cannot wait to hear more about them. I have missed you this summer.
Your belly in that first photo is amazing...you look so beautiful.
xoxoxoxo!!!!!!
I'm a Manitoban, now living in Ontario. I love & miss the wide open spaces & big sky. But every now & then, I need me a mountain fix! ; )
Welcome home! I hope you'll share some more photos. What a lovely trip it sounds like.
ive started following your blog. i can imagine never wanting to take down my baby's nursery... unused at this point.. my grief is new, so new. i too look back at my horribly naive 9 months of joy, knowing i can never feel that way again. i think somewhere along the way, ive quoted you.. quoted someone else who was quoting you (i think it was Louisa).. if that even makes sense. anyway.. just saying hello.
Welcome home again, my friend. I am so glad this summer was spent refreshing, renewing, and recharging. That picture of you is exactly how I remember you--though in my mind's eye, you are framed in a doorway, surrounded by books and music instead of in a wide-open expanse of landscape.
I too spend almost a month in Alberta this summer...we only made it to the mountains one day, wish it could have been more. It was lovely.
I am fairly new to your blog so had no idea of your connections to Alberta. As I was looking at your pictures I was thinking "Boy does that ever look like Southern Alberta!" As a child we rarely travelled within Alberta, and I have unfortunately not travelled very much of it as an adult. I really should remedy that!
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