It's been a week since I jetted away from Colorado on my first "mama trip" in 8 years...all the way to one of my favorite places, Santa Cruz, California!

I flew right into the open arms of dear friends. Monica flew in from Texas, and Sarah joined us from the redwoods.

This was taken just 2 blocks from our perfect ocean cottage.

Staring at the ocean and soaking up the sound of the crashing waves.

31 weeks pregnant...by the sea. Pure happy.

So much time was spent together in the little living room. Listening to music. Soothing our souls. Talking for hours and hours about life, family, passions, and trials.

One of the most very sacred moments we had together was walking through the redwoods at dusk...

...touching the soft, damp moss. Oh how I've missed it!

And finally arriving...in the dark...at the opening of an enormous redwood. Sarah had gone ahead and prepared a space for us INSIDE of the hollow Felton mother tree. Twinkling white lights everywhere. Hot candy cane tea and dark chocolate. Sarah and Monica prayed for me, the baby, the birth, our friendship. Sarah knit me a beautiful and oh-so-soft "prayer shawl" that will be treasured forever. We laughed and talked and sat for a long while in the silence of the woods. When we finally emerged and stepped out in the expanse of redwoods, a screech owl let out a loud screeeeeeeech above our heads and then continued to fly along with us as we walked out. So symbolic :: wisdom shared among mothers. Mere words could never convey the magic that happened that night at Henry Cowell, but we all felt it, and will remember forever.

We walked down Pacific Ave...stopping in little shops and touching all the pretty things.

We indulged in the magic at Verve Coffee 4 times over the weekend. Mmmmm....

Love.

My dreads have new beads and wraps to remember our sweet time together.

And this...the last moment at the ocean that we spent together. Sitting close. Praying together. What a blessing these women are in my life. The gratitude I have surrounding this weekend is immeasurable. So thankful.