Maine.

We're getting hit hard this winter. I suppose that's what families do. They pass cold germs around and around until the germs finally get bored and move on to some other unsuspecting family. I've written some about the back-to-back colds Miles had, both of which prevented him from gaining the proper amount of weight after he was born. All is well now, knock on wood. Then, I got the double ear infections/sinus terribleness. Cross my heart, I'm just barely getting my hearing back. And now Eva has something real bad...fever, wicked cough, etc. We were all up most of the night doing our best to comfort her, to feed the baby, to soothe the cough. Any suggestions for the night time coughing jags?

Above it all, Ferris is doing a week as an attending in the hospital. Twice a year, he has to do hospital work which requires long hours and lots of hard work. Sort of like being a mom except for not as challenging (smirk, wink). He worked the weekend, which meant that the three of us needed a great adventure to keep our spirits up. That's why I love this place. I love this place for lots of reasons but mostly because of the water. Growing up in the mountains/desert, I had no idea how much I respond to water. After living in Seattle and now Portland, the calming, soothing, centering power of water has become totally and completely clear.

On Sunday morning, we bundled up into our warmest winterwear and headed to Willard beach. Jackson harassed other dogs and fetched nonexistent items in the ocean surf, Eva walked up and down the beach in search of long grass reeds to build her beach castle, Miles sacked out in the sling, and I stared at the ocean. I stared and I listened and I let the waves wash over my soul. Sound a little dramatic? Maybe so, but those sounds and smells and waves make it possible for me to be the kind of mother I want to be. An hour on the beach and I can do anything. I can do anything, and I can do it happily and well.