Une Envie de Sel

Setting out for an afternoon en famille.
I know that from this blog it looks like we have an infinite number of idle days spent together wandering about the city, eating icecream, sitting in the sun and trailing our feet in the water. The reality is far, far more chaotic, and the fact is that - like many people - we have to really juggle and work and stress to snatch the odd morning or afternoon together as a family. We do, however, make the most of it. The thing is, if you play it right, you can make it feel as if you have an infinite number of days like this, even if you actually don't. I end up posting them at random. For instance, this sequence was actually from several weeks ago before either the puppy or the cat came into our little family.

This is Q watching a soccer practice. Zoom in and look a the expression on her face. It cracks me up.
Gleefully confiscating someone's football.
Telling me to "wait". She's off on a mission.



A perfect climbing tree presents itself. How can one resist?

Playing "I'm a little airplane".
Looking back on these photos from just a few weeks ago, I recognize that I'm wearing "the outfit" that I wore for more than a week straight after Sam died. The skinny jeans are so unlike me - I got the whole outfit at Target one miserable afternoon and didn't wear anything else for days and days. I couldn't put on my normal clothes because I wasn't happy in my skin. I needed to feel like a different person. But I remember that this day was the beginning of my re-awakening into life. The grieving period was coming to an end.

And now, here we are, a whole family again, plus a cat which we never had before. It feels good. I took Mathilda to Q's speech therapy appointment this morning and she sat in the car while we ran our errands. Heelers are car dogs and are always happy as long as they are along for the ride. It does my heart good to have that kind of companion again.
Flying kites with a friend (I think I need to paint one of these images).

Q on the sports field. Someday before too long she too will be practicing on a team (or several, if I know her). That will be a proud day for little Q.