I can’t believe it’s been a year| Personal

Last time I actually sat down and wrote something in this space it was a full year ago and I shared the same images: surf camp! I wish I could say it’s because we were incredibly busy this year but it’s because I truly put down my camera and just spent some quality time with my family. It’s also because I just felt like I didn’t have anything super important or helpful to share! We were just living each day and enjoying life (both the good bits and the tough bits) and while I was still taking pictures… it was just of my own family!

Now things are a bit different! Covid-19 hit and that brought a lot of changes and uncertainty for everyone! I picked up my camera a little bit more and we hunkered down right along with everyone else.

So here we are, a full year later and I find myself posting images of surf camp once again!

We did two surf camp sessions this year and man I wish we could have done more. It was actually the only time we all felt “normal.” It was the first time we all left the house and Linc was able to do something with other children! It was the first time since emergency learning had finished for “summer” that we had a quasi schedule again and we had “somewhere to be”! It just felt nice!

We got to see our friends again, our favorite counselors and once again test our limits a bit. Linc learned more about what bravery really means: Trying even though you might be scared! Courage is going forward even though you might feel fearful but there is still some part of you that still wants to try! We saw him race out and test his boundaries a little too much day one week one; and then not want to do much at all that first session after he realized he scared himself. Then we were able to watch that reluctance fade away as he slowly, and at his own pace, over come that trepidation and find his joy once again during the second session and push past what all thought he could do!

Mostly this summer, we’ve just been hanging around our own backyard and the neighborhood pool! We’ve been learning backflips and side aerials off the diving board! We’ve been perfecting our skateboarding tricks and our bmx biking handle bar turns and jumps!

As much as this summer has been an odd one ( we haven’t been able to go anywhere new or even to our normal places we had planned to go) it has been kind of a wonderful one when I look back and think of all the simple things we’ve done and learned! And that’s what it has been: simple!

While summer isn’t quite over yet… the weather is still warm and the ocean water is still calling our names. I am appreciative of all that we’ve done so far!

Here are a few more pictures from our latest beach night with friends: