August, September, October, November

There is giant hole in this blog that stretches from August to November. During that time, I kept right along shooting photos, thinking that I would go back and write about the images and memories we captured. Perhaps there will be a time for that... but it's not now.

For most of August, I was on my own with Jonah. The rest of my family flew over mid September. Ben was with us for two weeks and then I was on my own with the kids for October and part of November. On November 18th I flew back to New Zealand with the kids - completing (what I very much hope will be) the hardest travel experience of my life.

During that time lots of wonderful moments transpired - Jude learned how to ride a bike, Max & Maggie went on a roller coaster for the first time, Jonah's curly blond hair got longer, I learned how to skateboard and homeschool/on-the-road school, we've shared meals with special friends, took cross country road trips, tail-gated with neighbors in our old cul-de-sac, ate cheese burgers and drank milk shakes, and stayed with friends I have known in many different seasons of life. But most importantly, I got to spend a lot of wonderful time with family.

It was an unplanned "vacation" like none I have ever experienced. Intense, exhausting, heartbreaking, and indescribably beautiful. I wouldn't it for a million dollars. We