favourite photo of 2008

of the many great moments of the year, this is one of my favourites... when we arrived at the beach earlier that afternoon, he held my hand so tightly it hurt, wanting to go in the water but afraid of the waves. he went into the water in increments... to his knees, to his waist, to his chest... fully clothed. every few waves or so he took off another item... socks and shoes first, then pants, then shirt... til he had only his Lightning McQueen underwear on.

he is my sister's oldest child, and i looked after him three days a week for two years while she finished her last year of law school. he regularly melts my heart with little sayings like "Megs, you're my sweetheart" and "tell me a story about your eyes"...

although it was hard to be so far away from my fiance last year, it was wonderful to have 9 months to spend with my family, to soak up those priceless moments with my nephews and watch them grow into their own unique selves.

not long before this particular day we had learned that my visa to the US had been approved. he cried and stomped his feet when i told him, angry and sad that i would once again be leaving him. so we had a date... we went at Queensland Beach, braving the weather and the waves. and he grew fearless, shrieking with joy and exhilaration as the waves knocked him about. taunting them, daring them, shaking his fists and shouting "is that all you've got?!!"

i strive to find that fearlessness in my own life... to face the waves and find delight in the power and fury of each day. and some days, like him, i find myself saying "isn't it cool that i was under the water and lived?!"