Pilgrimage to Piha

It's been a rough week.  We've had illness and technical issues and attitudinal issues, blah, blah, blah...Work of all kinds has piled up and yesterday being Thursday (it is now 3:15 am Friday morning) I was convinced I was going to tackle it all and put my life back on track, then JJ came home at 3:45 pm and told me to stop what I was doing and come along (I'm a total sucker for random adventure)...

The next thing I know the two big AJs, JJ and I were headed into the Waitakere, through the sub-tropical forest and out onto Piha Beach.  It was just what I needed in ways that I could not have foreseen.  Here is what we found (and let me tell you, the AJs are lucky that I had not made this pilgrimage in my less responsible 20's because the waves and another way of life may have called me to stay)...

Someone had etched this into the sand and I couldn't find it any more appropriate

Now you may ask why I am up at almost 4 am bringing this beautiful information to you and the simple answer is that shortly after we arrived home, I stuck a bacon slathered meatloaf in the oven and had mashed potatoes on the stove (don't judge, it's winter here and I've been running 45 minutes a day) AJ2 kindly came into the kitchen (seriously kind as there is no carpet) and began vomiting the cup of milk he had on the way home.  I have been busy ever since.  Ahhh, the joys of being a mamma...I wouldn't trade it for a hippie commune in the Waitakere Ranges.