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23 July 2010

Pause

Sometimes, running away is VERY MUCH the right thing to do. I took the girls off on the train for a week away, which as it turned out involved a lot of sand, a power cut (!), not nearly enough sleeping (lol) and some wonderful friends.



Collecting things on the beach. I have been looking, since I was very small, for a stone with a natural hole through it - and I found one, my first one, on my first day here. :)



Yup, of COURSE I took crochet away with me.One park of many!Visiting Angie's Home-ed group. Waiting for people to arrive...Paddling in the stream...Lovely and very varied walk, chatting away, making friends...The next day we met up with one family again. Rob and Carol and their lovely lovely children took us to some of their favorite places, fed us delicious picnics, and were such great company. The children were so sad to be parted at the end of the day!
Most of my pictures of Grace look like this - she loves cameras but would really prefer to be the other side of the lens.This is one of the pictures she took - Rob and the children with our picnic. :)More walks. :)

Morgan walked into the side of a big stone bench, and gave herself quite an impressive bump. A dustbin truck was driving past, and the driver got out to see if she was OK, carried her to me, and offered us his first aid kit. So very very kind and thoughtful. Poor Morgan was pretty swollen, and I carried her for a while not quite sure whether to take yet another holiday trip to A&E!She felt a little better when she saw that we were going to the sea, and climbed down and ran off. So we thought she'd probably be fine after all! The children played on this beach for a while too, small as it was. There was lots of slimy seaweed, which was fun, and more stones with holes in, and Rowan collected a HUGE bag full of sand and grit (which was quietly replaced when she wasn't looking). I asked them to stay out of the water, which lasted until I sat down to nurse Rowan, and the big ones went in up to their knees wearing all their dry clothes. Ah well.

We wore the baby out frequently this week!Russell-Cotes museum and views from above Bournemouth pier.

There were dressing up clothes for the children. The little ones were most impressed.
Before getting back on the train, we spent another morning on the beach, in the sun and the sea and the sand. And oh, it was good. :)
"Look! Balloon!"

I have a huuge soft spot for sandy baby feet...


Then home we came. The train was, um, stressful (busy, noisy, not enough time to change in Birmingham, and over four whole hours of me attempting to get the children to stay where I could see them). But I found myself feeling, the closer we got, that it was more than just our home we were returning for. Hope for rebuilding, family, more anyhow than I expected to return to. I am tired, but so much less weary.

12 comments:

  1. Lokks like you had a wonderful much needed break , love your pics xxx

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  2. You sound like the break has done you all good, and what fun at the beach.
    We love popping down the coast to Bourmenouth, total respect for you having a 4hr train journey with 3 little ones.

    Hope times are getting better for you all xx

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  3. I've been thinking about you a lot this past week; sounds like running away was just what you needed :-) And the girls look like they had a wonderful time, too.

    Hope is good. ((hugs))

    Jacq & Rye.

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  4. Not running away, just finding somewhere to relax, breathe and be. Somewhere without the little routines of home that can take over and shrink our thinking space. Hopes and prayers that your hopes come true

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  5. A wonderful looking break, sounds like it was just what was needed.

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  6. Glad your time away has helped. Thinking of you all.

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  7. I thought that beach looked familiar.Glad you had a change-if not a rest.

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  8. Lovely pics and happy memories:-)
    Your blog is lovely, wish I had a magic wand to wave over the sad parts for you:-(
    We sensed your pain though you and your amazing children were great company.
    You are one of those wonderful natural mums that I admire so much. xxx
    PS Todd has already worked out how far you are from Nannas.

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  9. It looks like you had an amazing time. I'm so glad it refreshed you all. :)

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  10. A great time was had by all looking at the photos. There is nothing better than spending hours rummaging for treasure on a beach - very therapeutic :0)

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  11. Carol, thankyou so much. Your company was so soothing to us!

    Give Todd especially our love and tell him that we are looking forwards to meeting again whenever it is possible. xxx

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Penny for your thoughts? :)