During the month of November, we found ourselves living in a whirlwind.
– Hosting a dear friend from New Zealand
– Packing, scrubbing, and moving from home
– Eeking out one last batch of cranberry apple chutney as contribution to the Thanksgiving celebration (quite a fete, working from a nearly-boxed-up kitchen)
– Setting up our temporary home-base at my (Bethany’s) family’s house
– Resuming the 50-minute commute to Portland after a four-year stint living in the City
– Entering the final series of Holiday weeks leading to departure on January 5th
Thankfully, November also included a peaceful calm in the midst of the storm. Ted held down the fort, and I escaped to the Oregon Coast for a spiritual retreat at the invitation of a friend.
Four days of food and rest and corporate prayer and praise. No instruments. No agenda. No slide shows or handouts. No handles or hashtags or tweetups. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but let me say, after days and days of doing without email and Twitter and FB and phone calls, I felt the effects of focus and received the kind blessings of peace in my spirit.
Through time spent with forty other inspiring women, words of affirmation and confirmation were spoken and prayed over this new season in our lives.
I had a taste of the far-off removal from 9-5. And a taste of the beautiful grand scheme.
It’s coming…new rhythms, new places, new prayers and people…new sights to see and possibilities to explore…just one short month from today.
9 Comments
So excited for you two. We wish we could be there to see you off.
Glad you’ve found a little taste of peace after– and before– the craziness. Hang on to that!
Thanks, friend! We miss you guys like crazy and can’t wait to hear updates on the newest little one’s arrival… Thanks for being with us in spirit during this new season. Love you all! xx
Good on ya for getting away before you *really* get away. And to Cannon Beach, too, beautiful spot. Met up with my dad there a few years ago, and had a relaxing and fun time.
Now you’ve got to really be feeling ready to go!
Hey Anthony – it’s funny, for growing up in Oregon I don’t feel like I’ve spent enough time there. We’d always head to Tillamook (I love that spell check wants me to change that to “Amontillado” — Poe is out to get me) or Pacific City or Yachats, even. It was really lovely to spend time in Cannon Beach — midweek, especially, when the crowds were low and the scenery was still as stunning…
And how can anyone not love the grandeur of Haystack Rock? :)
How are you guys doing with your baby countdown? So exciting!
I’m very excited for you guys. It is going to be a beautiful journey.
Ahhh! Kim! This is it. What a year 2012 will be for all of us. So excited for you guys, too. I just love seeing your updates… Hope you and Brian have a wonderful holiday season, and cheers to the adventures just around the corner! xx
We LOVE Cannon Beach. When the tide is out there’s the array of marine life in the olieptods is excellent. My kids still sing the ditty my husband made up about checking out the “friends anemones” (say it) when we visited a few years ago.
[…] Two Blue: Haystack Rock at Oregon’s Cannon Beach, thanks to Tracy; two months before departing on our RTW trip. Green: Oregon Ducks football in Autzen Stadium with Alex and Jessie. Yellow: Ted just outside […]
[…] Alyssa and Bryan. Looking forward to spending time out at Haystack Rock – my last visit was in November 2011, just weeks before our gallivant overseas. The peacefulness that helped calm pre-trip jitters […]