Sunday, May 6, 2012

Sun, Sand, and Water: Part 2

It's a wonderful thing to wake up seeing brilliant sun and hearing crashing waves. It would have been especially beautiful to enjoy the view while quietly sipping a cup of coffee and easing into the day. But let's face it: three young kids don't operate this way and by 9:00 am they were begging to head down to the water.
Annalyse did much better with the sand and waves on Thursday. Or maybe she just had a sore throat from all her crying the day before and she opted to stay quiet and play nice this time.
The boys quickly resumed their favorite activity of wave jumping. Waves in the morning were very small and easy to manage - unlike the waves in the evening when the tide was coming in.
We have visited several beaches in NC and SC and decided that Hilton is now one of our favorites. The sand is white and smooth with very few shells and stones. It was easy to run on the shore and in the water, unlike other beaches that require water sandals because of all the shells and stones.
I had a lot of fun playing in the water with the boys, but I admit, it was nice to hold hands with my baby girl and take walks with her. She was fascinated with all the treasures she'd discover and was excited to show me right away. I love the eagerness of discovery and the precious innocence that goes with it.
I also love watching my boys play together. They are each others very bestest friend. I get annoyed with their constant wrestling and rough-housing (really, does it have to be every waking moment?!), but I am so thankful that they are active and masculine and adventurous and easily excited. I hope they are always like this... but maybe with more self-control when it comes to wrestling!
I mostly love watching Grady be a Daddy. Not just an authority. Not just a working man. Not just a provider. Not just a friend. But a Daddy, and a good one at that. (Funny how time away on a beach makes me all sappy and thankful, huh?)
Annalyse had fun playing by the shallow tide pools, probably because there were no waves, and the boys had fun exploring them for cool sea life.
Grady was fascinated by the starfish he found and the the hermit crab he caught. Likewise, he was crushed when I told him the crab was not coming home with us. I don't think it's going to be much longer before he starts to ask and pray for a puppy...!
After a full morning on the beach, the boys asked for naps. Wave jumping and a hot sun make for tired little men!

During the late afternoon we explored another pool and splash pad, and the boys kept asking "if we could move to this place and stay forever?" I tried to explain that living here would take the uniqueness and specialness (is that a word?) away from all we were enjoying, but they didn't quite get that. "But if we lived here, I would never get bored..." Yeah right.
After dinner we took a long walk by the beach watching some surfers, looking for shells, and splashing our feet, which soon meant our legs and arms, too.
I had talked to my Mom earlier in the day and was thankful to hear that, even though she was just one day out of surgery, she was already feeling tremendously different. Most all of her pain and discomfort were gone and she was able to stand and walk after two weeks of being flat in bed with almost unbearable pain.
The kids and I wrote a small note to her in the sand and made a short video to email. Even though we were hundreds of miles apart, she was front and center in our thoughts and prayers.
When Thursday came to a close, we were sun-kissed and with sea-salt lips, but so happy with the chance to be away for an unexpected vacation. A day and a half left to swim and play, and you better believe we were going to take advantage of each minute!

4 comments:

  1. Another blissful day at the beach, I love it! I love how you literally soaked it all up! Only you can make a beach trip with 3 little ones look so nice & relaxing!!! You are making me want to start researching to find a great beach deal ASAP!!
    So glad to hear that your mom's surgery was a success & that she is healing well & feeling so much better, praise God!

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  2. glad to hear that you mom is doing so great and that you guys are having such an amazing trip. there is definitely something about being near water... we are days away from it ourselves, can. not. wait!!

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  3. What a fantastic trip! It looks like everyone had a ball and I loved seeing Annalyse enjoy the ocean, a girl after my own heart:) I love taking boys on the beach as well, one place they can play and not break anything or get into to much trouble.

    Glad to hear your mom is feeling better, that always makes it easier to relax.

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  4. I, too, am glad your mom is feeling so much better. Praise God!

    And I am so with Melanie on how you are a great "salesperson" for a relaxing beach vacation with three little ones.

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