I love this photo. In many ways it's fairly ordinary. But it gets me every time.
I took it when my husband was last with us in May. Just before he went back to Afghanistan.
It triggers such a mixture of emotions:
a perfect family day by the sea;
how much I miss him;
how much the kids miss him;
how much easier it is to share.
And it reminds me how much I wish he'd been here last week when the youngest had her scary bike tumble; and how a wave of crushing panic made me realise I'm closer to unravelling than I'd like to think.
I know all these feelings are probably heightened at the moment, because in a few days he'll be back with us for a bit. So, as always happens about now, my defences slip, I'm more emotional and time seems to be slowing down...
Just a few more days and I can stop feeling like I'm holding my breath.
The Gallery theme this week is Emotion.
