Trek Home - Part II

The Pacific Northwest

This makes the air miles and jet lag tears worth it. This. Every time. Grandparents. Family. Love.

So many adventures and memories made. Lots to enjoy in this ever-changing yet ever-the-same corner of the world. We took a ride on the Plover ferry out to Semiahmoo with the Macs. Local fish 'n chips didn't hurt.

Mini Captain for the day. Nice sailing, Addie-girl!

Next, REAL donuts. Rocket Donuts. The Best. That's worth waking up for!

We stayed at this amazing and totally Bellingham house near Elizabeth Park. With any luck, this will be our go-to place. A house with character and charm - and near everywhere we want to be.

tree lined spacious sidewalks - a novelty for our HK kids

Home. Home, I've learned, isn't just one place. It can be several places at once. It's the place of the heart. Of the familiar. When you live 'away' - you take on other homes. Each one becoming a part of you. Each one just as much 'home' as the other - but in different ways.

This place, Bellingham, is my childhood home. It's the home of our children's grandparents. It's home of the best coffee, sourdough bread, seafood, and fresh air. The treeline, Mt. Baker, the smells, the people - all contribute to a grounding feeling even while living from suitcases and dealing with never-quite-ending-jetlag. It will never be 'home' for my kids in the way it is for my husband and me, and that's okay. It's still an anchor for all of us.


Building memories - time with these adorable cousins - so happy to be together!

My sister has her own little farm happening right in her backyard! Such fun to see in person. A highlight for the kids.

My mom. Nana & Grandpa Joe -

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

best laugh ever

cutest cousin award

snuggles, plus relaxing at our rental house, plus a shopping day with lunch out and a morning at the Bagelry
Not enough photos- too busy chatting!! :) xo love you, mom!

Boulevard Park with Papa Rex (my dad) & Grandma Dee -

first train sighting - happy baby boy!!

dinner at The Colophon - last time we were here was Ainsley's blessing ceremony as an infant. Still delicious!

Catching up with friends ...

Old Spaghetti Factory!
The Three Muskateers back together with our kids - friends since the 7th grade.

P.S. - Thank you, Aileen, for the spontaneous road trip in my moment of need!!! You are such a great friend. Note to travelers: rent cars from Alamo, not from Thrifty.

Matt -teaching her young

Twin Sisters Brewery

dinner and dirt play at the Heinrich/Vandenhaak house

Aunt Lisa & Uncle Jimmy drive up for a day!

This capture says it all. Seriously.

Auntie Rachel! Love that smile.

Hanging at Papa Bear & Gma Dee's place -

best backyard ever - especially with cousins to share it!

my sweet nephew, Dylan

Each girl had her own sleepover night with Auntie Heather and Auntie Rachel - lucky kids!!!

Ainsley (future publisher/writer/librarian perhaps??) enjoyed meeting the head librarian, thanks to our dear friend Brian H.

Chill time at Dasha and Grandpa Jack's house -

photo by Jack

  *** 3 best PHOTOS of the SUMMER ***

photo by Jack

photo by Jack

photo by Jack

fixing ABear's glasses

And the fourth of July! A parade, a dinner, then fireworks.

We never quite caught up on sleep, and I was up for 1-2 hours each night with a restless toddler. But we loved every minute with our people.

mom plus 3 - we got this! (Dad flew to Singapore a week earlier) Addie taking the photo

And suddenly, just like that, we are back in Hong Kong... skin drinking in the familiar humid air and heads resting on our own pillows.

helping dad with dishes

These kinder-egg chocolates with a surprise inside are her favorite thing - but banned in the USA - when we saw the photo-op in the airport, of course we stopped!

Arrived to Hong Kongers making their voices heard!!