This has not been a particularly relaxing summer. That’s not a bad thing, really; it’s just a true thing. I’ve been busy. Busy moving across the country and then across(ish) the state. Busy settling into my new job. Busy unpacking and setting up house and dealing with a few too many apartment maintenance issues. Busy dealing with the irritating Maryland MVA. Busy traveling to Hawaii to be the maid of honor in my little sister’s wedding.

Mmhmm. My baby sister… got married… in Hawaii.

Okay, maybe that part of the summer was a little relaxing.

It was a glorious escape. Five and a half days of sunbathing, reading on the beach, sipping tropical drinks, swimming in the ocean, eating lots of fresh fruit, enjoying my family, and marveling at Maui’s scenery.

The wedding itself was small and sweet, with only the closest of family members in attendance. The ceremony took place on a bluff overlooking the ocean. S played guitar and sung. The wedding party walked barefoot on cool spongy grass, holding bouquets of flowers plucked from the abundant native foliage. My brother-in-law’s father, a pastor, officiated. My sweet baby nephew slept through his parents’ marriage vows, held by his grandma and then by me.

It was, in a word, lovely.

Later, after my sister and her husband had had their fill of post-wedding photography among the gorgeous views, we all reconvened at a nearby restaurant for dinner. The chef had prepared a special main course (Israeli cous cous with vegetables) for the three vegans and one mostly-vegan, and S and I chose a scallion-lime tofu appetizer topped with crispy kale and sesame seeds to start. We rounded off our meal with passionfruit sorbet. (And superbly delicious drinks, a Mai Tai for S and a mango martini for me.)

I’m fortunate that the folks at my new job are flexible; they had no problem letting me jet off to Maui barely a month after I started. And I’m fortunate to have the family I have, including the extended family that came along with my new brother-in-law. And, of course, I’m fortunate to have the absolute best little nephew in the world.

What a kid. What a summer! And it’s not over yet. ;)