Celebrating 50...
It's hard to believe that this year, in August, will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. How can that be? I don't feel like I've been married for 50 years most days and then again, somedays I do. Those days are few and far between though. For the most part, it has been a journey together with life happening, both good and sometimes difficult times. Through it all, we have been able to enjoy our life and our family. We are no fuss people for the most part and so we didn't want to celebrate Big. No fancy parties, no fancy gifts. We wanted to do what we most love doing, being with family at the beach. I thought about this plan for a long time and finally got the kids together for a date. We all agreed that May would be the best month for everyone and the best weather would be in Bermuda. The deciding piece was that none of us had been there before and so we would explore this Island together. Bonus, it was only a two-hour plane ride from home. It has been a very long time since all of us have been on a real vacation together so Jim and I were very excited about sharing this time with all our loves. If you have not experienced Bermuda yet, I hope some of these photos will inspire you to keep it in mind when you are thinking of making a trip to somewhere warm and beautiful.
This is the view from the house we rented in Smith's Parish. A perfect house for all of us with three bedrooms and three baths. It had a nice front deck and a lovely pool out back, which the boys enjoyed every day. The view was spectacular.
The Island is just full of the most beautiful flowers. In May so many of them were already in bloom.
We visited so many beaches. This was Horseshoe Bay. I think the prettiest of all. So many caves to check out and like all the others, beautiful pink sand and the colors of the Caribbean in the ocean.
A great place for a budding photographer to learn his craft...He and I had so much fun walking the beach, snapping photos, talking and just being together sharing our hobby. He's a good learner..
Our three Amigo's at Coconut Beach. This is where Chris and Jenna took us for our Anniversary Dinner. It sure was a magical night. Just the perfect gift for us. Definately a night to remember.
This is probably my one of my favorite photos of all time. One of the things on my bucket list was to ride on a motorcycle. That did not happen because I was so scared. When Chris got this scooter I kind of knew it was my last chance and who better to trust then my son. I hiked up my dress, put on the helmut and hung on tight. Off I went. I can't say I loved it and it was a bit scary but I did it. I knew then, that it wasn't about the motocycle or the scooter, it was about fighting another fear. I'm so glad I did this. Bonus Anniversay gift to myself. Kudos to Chris for being as gentle as he could on the bumpy roads. Special thanks to Liam for taking the shot.
How could I not go after watching these two begging to go. Liam was definitely ready and Jaxson might have had some trepidation, holding on tightly when leaving but when he came back, he was holding on with one hand, waving with the other. I think they love having Uncle Chris around to let them do things we might not. This will stay in their memory bank for years to come.
These are our loves, each one of them brings so much light and joy to our lives. Now we have Julia, Chris's girl, to add to the fun and build memories with. We are a small family but we pack a lot into our little unit. Staying connected, enjoying our time together and making each other a priority. Jim and I together, built this unit of happiness over the last fifty years. Each one became a cog in the wheel that just keeps on turning and growing, moving us along together, like pebbles in the sand. Not many get to make 50 years, especially these days, but for us, although there have been some difficult and sad times, we just kept working it and here we are. I can't believe how fast the years have moved, ligthing speed, really. What I do know though is that we made it because of this crew, wanting always to be there for them and now, they are here for us...So Cheers to Fifty Jim. I'm ready to try for 75 if you are You are the love of my life...and in the process, let's all keep making memories, one moment at a time. Metta (Peace and Loving Kindness) going forward. Life is good.
All photos were taken with the Fuji XT-2...with either the Fuji 18-135 or the Fuji 23mm