a place of calm
when we were young(er), grossly in love, swoony high school kids on spring break or summer vacation, paul and i referred to mornings spent sans shower, in the sand, splashing amongst waves, slathered in sunscreen and sunkissed with doses of vitamin D as being ‘beachy fresh.’
one thing he and i have always shared is a true love for all things beach related. if we could, he and i would spend our days raising kids in a smallish beach bungalow, windows always open, drunk on salty air and sunshine. bob marley in the background and the squawk of seagulls. sand would litter the kitchen floor.
i took 397 photographs last weekend, while at gigi’s (my gramma) beach house. three hundred and ninety seven (i know, there should be a hyphen somewhere but i can’t remember where because i’m too focused on the enormity of that number). for those of you who are photographers and much more savvy when it comes to picture taking than i, this probably sounds menial to you. for me, it’s like HOW MANY SHOTS OF MY SON’S SANDY SHADOW CAN I TAKE? oh, i can take 397 thankyouverymuch.
yesterday, in an attempt to upload these photos and tinker with them, i nearly crashed my laptop (yes, i have an external hard drive, and no, i’m not totally certain on how to use it but i’m learning). it dawned on me as i was chatting with gigi on the phone last night, telling her the number of photos she can expect in the mail in the coming weeks, that our family of (almost 4) three really NEEDED that weekend.
we needed a sanctuary. we needed to be somewhere that held deep meaning to both paul and i. somewhere jackson had been to once before and will return to many more times in his future…
one of these next times, of course, with his little sister. he will have the opportunity to show her the beach and teach her about our love of all things slow, quiet, and relaxing. the sand. the waves. the sounds. the sun. he will be able to do this in the same ways that we have passed it along to him.
monday would have been my grandfather’s 80th birthday. he and jackson share a middle name, ray. being with gigi this weekend brought up a lot of fond memories, delicious cheesecake, a few tears but mostly laughter. as jackson approaches the age of 4, his understanding of his family members, both living and deceased, amazes me. children are so smart and open.
we were blessed with glorious weather and jackson treated the end of january as though it were the fourth of july. when it was time to say ‘thank you’ and ‘goodbye’ to his gigi, this little one rested in the only way that a child worn out from a love affair with the beach can… with reckless abandon and an abundance of drool.
more photos to come, i promise. first, i need to shake the sand out of my clothes.
also, to those of you who have left sweet messages, comments, and emails to let us know that you’re thinking of us as we prepare to say goodbye to paul, THANK YOU. truly. your kindness does not go unnoticed.
savoring the sweet
for some reason, it seems to be universally understood that when a ‘goodbye’ is approaching, people start to cling to what’s familiar and to one another. we should do that more. regardless of whether or not we’re preparing to say goodbye to someone, we should do that more. more family walks by the river. more snuggles and snacks. more making time for each other. for what’s important.
because when it comes time to say those goodbyes, the time you had is never enough.
we are heading to my gramma’s house at the beach this weekend for our last getaway as a family of three. our last getaway as a family before paul leaves. driving a few hours south to rest and relax oceanside is just what we need right now. sand and surf await us. and naps. plenty of naps.
forward movement
i’m coming off of a week of sheer excellence with my family. when we drove away from my parent’s home yesterday, i wiped tears from my eyes because our time together had been THAT GREAT. the holidays are always hectic for us, chaotic and stressful, but for whatever reason, the time that my little family of three (with one in the oven) had in my parent’s home was cozy, comfortable, and easy.
we played. we slept. we laughed. we ate. and then we played some more, because that’s what three year olds require of you. and it was wonderful. all of it.
so we move forward. we come home. we take down our tree. we look at 2012 calendars and then pause to relish in this moment for just a second more. then we keep moving on… because we have a lot to look forward to.
almost forgot
we totally went to disney last weekend.
we ate corn dogs that were the size of our heads, and mickey mouse ice cream bars while telling jackson stories about his uncle b losing his first tooth in one.
we watched the parade together, as a family, and i cried because that’s what magic does to pregnant women.
jackson met his hero.
no big deal.
halloween 2011: jackson’s choice
my family has been here for the last 4 days and ZOMG did we have SO MUCH FUN. the laughter was abundant, the stories were hilarious, and the dogs… good gracious, y’all, the dogs. (notice red is not pictured. there is a reason why. our dog needs a tranquilizer.) needless to say, we had a blast! i am so blessed with a kickass family. SO BLESSED.
jackson picked out all of the costumes, mom’s dog included… this child is so loved. i don’t know a lot of adults who would go ALL OUT trick-or-treating in costumes and LOVING IT with a 3 year old. spiderman had an entourage of love and hilarity. hope you and yours had a wonderful halloween!
Have a Sip
