beach love

Thursday was the last day of school.  My daughter's 5th grade teacher loves the beach.  I said, "I heard your teacher loves the beach.  What does she love about it?  The sun?  The sand?  Reading?"  She said, "She likes to go there and listen to the waves and the wind.  She likes the feel of the sand on her feet.  She likes how when the sun is setting over the ocean, it all blends together and you can't tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins."  I said, "Did you learn about that during your poetry section?"  "Yes." 

Isn't that so cool that her teacher planted that image so clearly that she could recall it to me like that?  I love poetry.  I love teachers.  I painted this little tiny painting for her. 

I send my children away from me during the school year, five days a week, and it is a comforting knowing that they are spending time with good people who care about them.

Yesterday was our first beach day of the summer.

One baby ran straight out to where her brother and sisters were playing.  The tide was waaaaay out and the waves were small and lapping and the sand was hard and wet and rippled.  She chased seagulls and loved every second. 

The other baby clung to me.  Every time I put her feet in the sand she was unsure would look up at me, her hat framing her adorable face.  I would pick her up and she would look around with her worried eyes and her pointer finger in her mouth, biting her little tiny nail, holding me tight. 

We came home sandy and hot and happy and tired.

Hello, summer.  I'm glad you're here.


ps--my sister Krista had her baby!  She's a tiny little adorable girl.  They haven't settled on a name yet, but she'll have the perfect one for her soon enough.  Congratulations, Krista and Dallas!  I'm so happy to have a new niece!