Well, here we are. 61 and counting, and I’m back at it after a gloriously quiet weekend up north with Jason. Admittedly, I had this sense of “needing to blog” all weekend, and it’s good to be at my keyboard again. I’ll also admit though, that unplugging for a few days and just focusing on rest and refreshment with my best friend was timely and wonderful.

We filled up our long weekend with late-to-rise mornings over coffee and breakfast, lazy afternoon lunches and trips down to the beach to admire the sand and snow, occasional naps, board games, dinners we prepared together and conversations about all that will change for us soon and very soon. We mulled over our list of baby names again and narrowed down to the shortlist that will undoubtedly accompany us to the hospital on D-Day. We cozied up with popcorn and a few good movies, read magazines and books, delighted in the warm presence of a fireplace each evening and spent much needed time in prayer.

pine beach.

saturday afternoon.

delight.

Yesterday afternoon, we ventured out into the woods on a wintry hike that wound around and through the most beautiful of snow-covered branches and repetitive tracks of animals come and gone. And we managed down a bluff that might have been otherwise impossible without the piled-high snow, arriving amidst the dune grass and the icy shore and the sand below–and took “31 week” photos of the belly on a beachy backdrop in 20 degree weather, just because. We made sweet memories between us, Jason and the belly and the beach and I…snow angels on the shore and silly photographs and laughter out to the waves and back. I have always loved Lake Michigan, and when Jason and I walk the beach together, no matter the season, I am home.

And now we’re back and well rested, and so grateful for generous friends who lent us their retreat for a few days of solitude and peace, away from all distractions and work and technology and physical preparations for baby. And we’ve already made it through Monday of the work week, and we’re already missing the sweet escape we very clearly needed in this busy, busy season.

Tonight, I am thankful for time to reflect on what we’re really all about, Jason and I. I’m thankful for the chance to just “be,” and to clear out the clutter in order to make room for more of what’s important. We might not have another chance to be away from routine and busyness and preparation before baby gets here in two months, but we’ll lean on the past few days for a long while.

We’re refreshed, and I’m more in love with our little growing family than I was yesterday, or the day before, or the day before.

to cabins in the woods, perfect snowfalls, icy shores and foundations growing stronger, day by day,

mm