Washington
If you read my first post…
Are you surprised we went on another van trip? In case you missed that one, go check it out!
Click here >> California in December
May 2022
Amelia and Zakhary van trip #2!
He talked me into another one; except, it didn’t take as much convincing this time around. I knew what he was getting us into. We were just a tad bit experienced now as well and you could say we somewhat knew what we were doing. But don’t give us too much credit - we had absolutely no plan.
Zakhary and Amelia’s plan : Rent a van and go for a drive for a few days.
For this van excursion, we were further up the West Coast - Washington state to be exact. Zakhary’s aunt and uncle live in Washington so this trip came with a bonus. We were able to stay with them a couple of nights before we were on our way. I love getting the time to spend with family, especially one’s you might not get to see very often. I have been to Washington a handful of times before thanks to Zakhary being stationed up there for almost three years. But we had never done a trip like this so we obviously had to check it off the list.
Our exploration started with heading towards Cape Disappointment. This camping spot might have been the coolest site we stayed on - our van was right next to the ocean. I love watching and listening to the ocean, I could sit on the beach for hours. So you could say it was pretty easy to get settled here for a night. The same night, to no surprise, it rained - MINDSET IS EVERYTHING - the rain did not stop us from making s’mores (some serious dedication). Zakhary and I unlocked a new kind of sweet tooth this trip. Sue and Chef were not just making your average joe s’mores. We were adding reese’s peanut butter cups and cookies and cream chocolate bars. You name a candy bar and we were probably putting it on a s’more.
Further North
~ the route ~
We continued our way up north to Ruby Beach then to Hoh Rainforest and last stop Lake Crescent. On both van trips, something I have very much enjoyed is the drive along the coast. I love getting to see the ocean AND mountains, it’s the best of both worlds. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to decide which I like better so I always appreciate when locations offer both. Speaking of things I’ve loved; it’s something Zakhary and I always do - sit around the fire and listen to music. There is conversation at times, but we are mostly quiet, immersed in the music as we watch the fire. I’ve never met someone who loves music as much as Zakhary. He listens to such a wide variety so I’ve really heard it all. He’s introduced a ton of artists, songs, and albums to me, one of them being Trevor Hall.
You can’t rush your healing
Darkness has its teachings
Love is never leaving
“You Can’t Rush Your Healing” by Trevor Hall
Gentle Reminders
Healing is not linear. There are going to be days when you wake up and feel full of light. There are going to be days when it feels like your heart has settled into its new form, and has finally mended the wounds. There are going to be days where you leap towards something you would have run from in the past. And those moments will be so gratifying, it will all feel beautiful and hopeful. But then there will also be days where you take five steps backward. Where your wound is scratched, where the hurt resurfaces. Where you hear a song and your chest tightens.Where the memories surprise you in the middle of your day. And that can be jarring, it can be hard to sit with. It can make you question your healing. But the truth is healing happens in waves. It is a process, a lifelong journey.
Slowly, we learn how to approach the hard days, and learn how to not let them convince us that this season of learning has been for nothing. You should be proud of the way you fought to save yourself and the way you survived. This is a reminder that your feelings are valid. This is a reminder to look back at how far you have come. Think back to the moments you thought would defeat you. That takes a lot of courage and you are strong enough to do it again.
The hard days you are going through is temporary.
Your progress does not equal your worth.
You do not have to change who you are in order to be worthy of love.
It’s okay if it’s taking more time than you thought.
Even here in the unknown, you are not alone.
Amelia
