Orcas Dreams 4: Lucky Lady

Happy New Year everybody!  This New Year was a really nice one.  On New Year's Eve I was out walking the dogs and came home to snow falling on my head.  I grabbed the kids and we went outside to play.  The snowflakes just kept getting bigger and bigger and I just couldn't seem to get enough of it.  Have you ever just stood there and looked straight up into the sky while it's snowing on you?  It was so magical.   There is something mysterious about snow, the way it smells, the way it feels when it hits your face.  So far this ex-California girl is loving our little snowy encounters.  

Afterwards we had an awesome dinner, thanks to Gary's b-day present and Jamie Oliver.  Then we just hung out some till Silas told us he was tired and I took him off to bed.  Both Serafin and I attempted to make it till 12 AM, but alas, I think we both conked out minutes before and Gary said "Happy New Year" to himself.  C'est la vie.  I don't think I've seen a midnight celebration of the new year since Serafin was born.  I've been told on more than one occasion, I'm a "lightweight bed wetter" when it comes to sleep.  

In the morning I woke up and dragged everybody out of bed to cheer me on while I partook in the Orcas Island annual Polar Bear Plunge.  I thought it was kind of a nice way to kick in our first New Year here on the island.  Plus it's something that I've always been kind of intrigued by.  Why not run into freezing cold water in the middle of winter?  Admittedly I was kind wimping out on the idea as the days came closer and closer to New Year's,  but while sitting at our breakfast table on the morning of, the sun actually came out for a moment and I thought, I have no excuse now!  

We literally walked up to the event when I heard "5, 4, 3, 2, 1!" Everybody ran screaming into the water and then ran screaming out all shivery.  It was over in a matter of seconds.  I was pretty amused, however, after seeing the looks on their faces I wasn't sure if I could go through with it.  I'd say 3/4s of them looked like they were in pain.  Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I thought, "I gotta do this!" I stripped off my clothes and did my own screaming run into the water and quickly came back out.  

I was surprised to realize that it actually felt quite good.  My entire body tingled in a pleasant way and I definitely felt more energized.  I think my downfall came after I decided to walk around the beach with Serafin in my bathrobe and wet shoes for 10 minutes without drying off.  Yes, stupid, I know but I was on an adrenaline rush from my plunge and not really thinking.  All the way home I had my seat heated to the max and my toes on the heating vent.  It was worth it though, and I'd do it again (keep that in mind if you ever come and visit us around New Year's, you will be subjected to copious amounts of peer pressure).  Anyway, yay for another thing checked off my bucket list and thanks to Gary for some fun photos!  

Us on our Orcas land with Ms. Serafin handling the camera!  She takes after her father in regards to her photography, not bad for a 3 1/2 year old!

On the 2nd Gary and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary.  I can't believe we've been married for that long!  I've always said that if he and I managed to make it to 10 years then I'd like to have some sort of a ceremony.  Since we have just moved here I'm noticing that things don't really happen unless you make them happen, I guess that is kind of standard with life in general, but I'm finding that here, especially in the cold and dark of winter, it's easy to fall into a routine and just stay in the house.  It dawned on me that I wanted to do more to celebrate this day.  Gary, the trooper, followed along, what a love.  So after some tromping, we found a tree (you know how much I love trees) and proclaimed our love in our own little ceremony surrounded by our kids, our dogs and mother nature.  Somewhat cheesy, but perfect.

Gary and I have come a long way together.  I look around me now and see what we have created and feel so incredibly blessed.  Our family.  Moving to this magical place.  Being surrounded by nature.  If you would have asked me 10 years ago where we would be now,  I wouldn't have known, but I also would have never guessed that it would be here.  And you know what the kicker is?  After 10 years, I can honestly say that this "thing" he and I have, our dynamic, this life we have created together, whatever it is, . . . it only seems to get better.  

This is our only wedding photo!  We got married at the Chapel of the Bells, in South Lake Tahoe, 10 years ago with a couple of friends and our dogs.  We had a party a few months after to celebrate with everybody else.  It's funny looking at the two pictures and comparing then and now.  Nothing and everything has changed.  Love to you all!

Blessings.