The Island...

My parents took Aunt Mo over to Vancouver Island last Friday so she could see Victoria before she left. Jon and I were able to catch the morning ferry over on Saturday and joined them for a day of exploring and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. We started the day with a quick visit to quaint little Sidney. I had no idea a town could be so immaculate. Everything seemed so pristine and perfect. Here we are posing with the town's seaside scuba diver...

The drive into Victoria was absolutely beautiful as well. Jon and I had only been to Victoria one other time and it was in December 2005. Things looked so much better this time around, with the lush green grass and flowers blooming everywhere. It also helped that Dad took the "scenic route" into town and it allowed us to see some of the amazing waterfront residential areas.

Our next stop was the Craigdarroch Castle. I won't get into all the history behind it but if you're ever in Victoria and enjoy old Canadian history, this is a great place to stop. The castle was huge (over 25,000 sq/ft, if I'm not mistaken) and the architectural details inside and out were absolutely incredible, especially considering it was built in the 1800's.

View from the top of the castle...

We had a delicious lunch at a little pub called the "Sticky Wicket." They make a mean BBQ pulled pork sandwich :)

The rest of the afternoon was spent down at the water. Although it was fairly windy, the sunshine kept it from feeling too cool and it was the perfect way to end a great day.

Mom and Aunt Moira hanging out on the rocks...

I had originally thought that a day trip to the island wasn't worth the time it takes to travel there, but I'm really glad that we opted to go after all. It was such a relaxing day and a good chance to spend more time with Aunt Mo before she heads home to Johannesburg. Her flight leaves tomorrow night and I think its safe to say that we're all dreading the goodbye. Saying goodbye is never easy but it is especially tough when its family and there's no certainty of when the next visit will be. It has been such a tremendous blessing to have her here and I just pray that it won't be long before we see each other again.

Aunt Mo... we love you so much and can't tell you enough, just how wonderful it has been to spend time getting to know you better over these last few weeks. The time has passed much to quickly! You fit into our lives so perfectly and we wish you didn't have to go. Please know that we will be praying for you daily. You'll never be far from our thoughts and the memories we've made over the last month will remain cherished in our hearts. Take care and hopefully we'll see you soon! Much love...