While seven months pregnant with our second child, my husband and I flew to England. We had a wonderful time, as we always do while there, but even more so because my sister and her husband were able to join us. We explored all over the country together and had the time of our lives, however, the exhaustion I felt while pregnant and traveling with our 18 month old was acute. So much so that I promised myself I would never travel so far from home while pregnant again. 

Two years later, my husband and I headed to England once again where I visited Cornwall for the first time. From then on, I was forever changed. I have never longed to return to a place (excepting my own home) more than I do Cornwall. There is something about it (the rugged coastline, the accents, the food, the views, the small roads, the peace and quiet) that calls to me. 

​When we returned home, my yearning for the county grew, but with our third child on the way, I knew we wouldn't be able to go back for years. To satisfy my unquenchable thirst to see Cornwall and the ocean again, we planned a trip to Oregon.  

2.) I wanted to be sure to get a few sunset pictures of our growing family. After five nights spent hoping for beautiful sunsets (each night ending with thick clouds blocking any light from the departing sun), we were finally blessed with a breathtaking sunset on our last night. 

​After our wonderful vacation, we returned home, however, nothing could compare to my beautiful Cornwall, and I am now, more than ever, longing to return. I suppose I will simply have to wait a year or two, though, when we can enjoy the county with three children instead of two.​

​Now all I must do is find the patience to wait for the baby to join our family, and for the next time we get to enjoy Cornwall together!

Or perhaps I wished to start writing again because of the beautiful autumn we are experiencing this year. The colors of the leaves have been so vibrant and have lasted far longer than years past. The air has been crisp and not absolutely frigid, which has been a nice change, and now that November has come, I am happy for it to snow and drop in temperature. (At least until January when it needs to warm up day one.)

​I expected great things during our trip to Cornwall, planning for months on spreadsheets every minute of every day so we could take full advantage of our time there. We had so many places to see, so many miles to drive, we were exhausted by the end of every day, but each moment of exhaustion was worth it for the sights we saw.

I was taken aback at my love for the sea once again as we stopped at beach after beach, cliffside after cliffside. The power of the incredible amount of water, the sounds of the waves on the beach, the soft sand beneath my boots, the freezing wind burning my reddened cheeks, the rugged, Cornish cliffs around me, everything was overwhelmingly peaceful and powerful.

I have not been the same since, and every day, I long to return to the place I felt such deep joy and contentment. 
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For now, however, I will settle for the next best thing, writing about the place I fell in love with, the fierce winds, the rushing waves, and the endless beauty of the Cornish coast. 

Lighthouses have always intrigued me, though I hadn't seen one in person until last Autumn when I visited Oregon. We drove along the winding coastal road before turning the corner and seeing Yaquina Head Lighthouse perched high on the cliff's edge, mist rolling across the ocean, the rain just beginning to fall from the clouds above.  I got to walk up the winding staircase, exhausted when I finally reached the top of the lighthouse's 114 steps. The journey was well worth it, though, when I was able to see the view of the ocean from the glass room at the top. Ever since seeing this lighthouse, I have become obsessed with them. 

We ended our first night in Cornwall with a beautiful sunset view from Land's End, the point most westerly of mainland Britain. Rising tall and majestic from the glowing sea stood Longships Lighthouse, and we watched the edifice grow more gray as the sun slowly disappeared into the ocean. 

Seeing a lighthouse close up and in person was an unforgettable experience for me. So much so that I have spent the last year working on my fourth novel which will, of course, have a lighthouse central to the story. I cannot wait to release the book next year, and I hope you can't wait to read it!