Wow. I can’t believe it’s been 8 months since I last posted on my blog. Where does the time go?
Well, let’s see.
Winter hijacked spring up here in the Pacific Northwest so the lack of sunshine and vitamin D in my body literally robbed me of the usual energy and inspiration that gets sprung inside during spring. I spent the first 4 months of this year battling SAD (seasonal affective disorder), then thankfully in May I was able to take a one month sabbatical from offering therapy to get centered in my own Self and truly rest from listening to the ways in which depression and anxiety torment my clients.
Taking time off was much needed. May was indeed magical!
In the earlier part of the month, we stayed at a cheese farm in Eastern Washington where we got to connect with goats, sheep, pigs, dogs and many cats. I was in heaven! It was a real treat to be fully disconnected from city life to enjoy the subtleties of the country. My senses were soothed by the silence and spectacular sounds of the simple things we take for granted – the gentle breeze, leaves swaying from trees, insects speaking their unique language.
The later part of May was filled with a completely different type of adventure. The old growth rainforest named Hoh found in the Olympic National Forest. I’ve never seen so much natural beauty in my life. It was an art show created by nature just being and doing what it does – growing, existing, dying, and starting over to restore and replenish the land. The hall of moss was my absolute favorite and the Hoh river took my breath away as it descended into the gorgeous snowcapped Mount Olympus.
Both of these experiences revitalized me and brought me back to my center. I felt nourished. Whole.
June arrived and it was time to get in gear for the long awaited day that most girls dream about just after they’ve watched Cinderella for the first time. The day of the ball where she gets to dress up to look like a princess and profess her heart to her prince. For me, this ball would be under big glorious trees next to a river called Sandy looking more like a greek goddess than a princess.
My brain was full of all the details involved in throwing a ‘successful’ party where the energy flowed and the itinerary sewed the seeds to grow an unforgettable day of bliss, love, and joy. My sleep was hijacked by imagined plans while my mind raced even after reaching the finish line. The day after our wedding party, my body and brain weren’t sure what to do with themselves despite the deprivation of rest and sleep. All this being said, it was well worth it! The entire weekend was perfect and the day of our wedding party on July 3,2022 was truly blissful!
I got to experience what it feels like to be a bride even though I wasn’t actually a newly married woman. Sharing this day with our families and friends felt important. Celebrating our union and expressing our vows in front of the people we love felt like a sacred honoring of our love and commitment to one another.
God was present for all of it, in our hearts, in the trees, in the rays of the sun, in the flowers that surrounded us and laid upon the crown of my head, in the eyes of the deer roaming nearby, in the flowing of the river that ran alongside the perfect little nook of the world we had chosen as our place for this special day. This place was called Oxbow which means a U-shaped bend in the course of a river. Our park area was called Coho which means a deep-bodied North Pacific salmon with small black spots.
I will cherish this day and always remember the way I felt in my heart to be with the people we both love who wanted to be present for us to rejoice in the spirit of being joined while encompassed by so much natural beauty.
With so much gratitude for this day that we waited 2 years to experience here is one of my favorite photos of Chris and I being ourselves. He the seeker and I the dreamer.