In case you haven't had your cuteness quota for today

This is what "three boys" look like leaving the pool

Seeking community

Human beings tend to be social creatures, especially the females of the species. We need to know that we're not alone, that someone hears us and sees us, that someone cares. Unfortunately, in our fast-paced world, relationships sometimes seem to be hard to come by. It's hard to find the time to connect, really connect, with others. At least that's what we tell ourselves. If we're truly honest, though, the hard part is not so much finding time for those relationships that we crave but also kind of fear. The hard part is letting our guards down enough for the connections to happen in the first place. At least that's how it is for me. And, the older I get, the more guarded I tend to be, and the more excuses I tend to make about why personal connection just won't work for me. But, in the depths of my heart, I still crave that interaction. I want to know that I'm not alone, that someone hears, that someone cares. And, I know that relationships are not going to just happen for me. I have to work at them. That is why, when I was asked to be a leader for an (in)courage group for homeschooling moms, I decided to jump in. (in)courage is an online community for women, sponsored by Dayspring, the Christian subsidiary of Hallmark. The idea is to connect women and offer them encouragement, from the safety of their own computers, in whatever circumstances they may be. Registration for groups opens today, and chances are good that you will find a group that meets the needs of the season of life you are in at this very moment. (Sorry, men, these groups are just for women!) The group I have the privilege of being a part of is called (in)spired to homeschool, and you can find it here or in the link above. You can peruse the other groups here. Check it out! What have you got to lose?

Advice from a stranger at a gas station

On our drive to North Carolina, we made our last stop for gas in South Carolina. Another man at the pump noticed our Texas plates and inquired about what brought us this direction. When Jeff shared our plans with him, he became a fount of information on the area and had several suggestions for fun things to do. So, on this chilly and rainy day, we decided to put some of his proposed activities into play. Our adventures took us south to the aquarium at Fort Fisher. From there, we took the ferry to Southport, where we ate at a local dive with delicious food and a great atmosphere. We had ice cream across the street afterwards, before hopping back on the ferry. Once in Wilmington, we stopped at Trader Joe's and then Walmart (because, you know, no vacation is complete without a trip to a nationally recognized big box store with low, low prices). It was a delightful day and made us realize that taking advice from strangers at gas stations might need to be something we do more often. Or, something like that. 

A wild welcome at the aquarium

Gator attack!

Here, fishy fishy

Pondering the petting pool

Horseshoe Crabs

Shark bait

a toothy grin

Underwater wonders 

petting bamboo sharks

Playground time

Our little fashion marvel

The higher, the better

One of our favorites in the Butterfly Bungalow

Weston was a butterfly magnet.
(Probably because he's so sweet!)

"Second lunch" at Yacht Basin Provision Co.
("First lunch" was snacks at the aquarium.)

It's the pirate's life for me

Chillin' in the ferry's lounge

Trader Joe's

Flower to the Max

Empty the bucket

We walked down the beach, his three steps to my one. I offered to carry the blue bucket to collect our treasures, but he insisted he carry it himself.  We had already taken a few steps, when he ran back for the red plastic shovel, which was almost the same size as him. I tried to tell him he didn't need it, but, again, he insisted. I intentionally kept my pace slow to accommodate my short-legged friend, and so that I could look for interesting shells and sea glass. I had already placed a few finds in the bucket but soon noticed my partner falling further and further behind. He had stopped to heap a shovelful of sand into the bucket, completely covering the things I had placed inside. I redirected his steps and reminded him that our bucket was for treasures and not for sand. A few more steps found us repeating this exercise. After his third stop, with the bucket nearly full of sand and no room left for treasures, this sweet little boy began to list to one side, his movements propelling him more sideways than forward, and at a snail's pace. He didn't ask for help, but I knew we would make no more progress if things remained as they were. So, I asked him, "Is your bucket heavy?" "Yes," came the quick reply. "Well, why don't you empty it." This thought had clearly not occurred to him, but he was willing to take my advice. With his burden lifted, he picked up his pace and began helping me search for lightweight prizes with which to fill the bucket. And, from that point on, he seemed to enjoy the trek down the beach a little more.

I was struck by the similarity to my own life. I insist on doing everything myself, on carrying burdens that I have no business carrying. Burdens that weigh me down, slow my pace and take the place of the beauty life could contain. And, sometimes, it's just time to empty the bucket.

Family Resemblance

On Mom's last night here, we decided to go out to dinner at Daddy Mac's in Surf City.
Upon emerging from our respective rooms, we found ourselves dressed alike.

Summer haircuts

It's all fun and games until the condo above yours catches on fire

So, today started out as any other day--walking on the beach, swimming in the pool. You know. However, shortly after we finished lunch in the condo, the building's fire alarms came alive and demanded our attention. We assumed someone had just been messing around and pulled the lever. But, when I opened the front door to investigate, a heavy smoke smell penetrated my nostrils, and I knew we needed to evacuate. We herded the mostly barefoot and oddly compliant crew out to the parking lot to assess the situation. The view from there confirmed that smoke was indeed escaping from a condo on the floor above ours. Several other people were milling around in the parking lot, and Jeff called 911. Before long, the parking lot was full of condo guests and various firetrucks and firefighters, as smoke continued fill the air above our current home. It turned out to be an electrical fire that started in an outdoor outlet and was, thankfully, caught early and contained quickly. No one was injured, and everyone was allowed to return to their condos, except for the couple staying in that particular unit. My boys thought it was one of the perks of our vacation, getting to see all the firemen and their trucks and gear. The rest of us found it all a little disturbing. But, it brought up an interesting question: If your house (or building) was on fire, and you didn't have much time to think or act, and you could only get out with what you could carry, what would you hope to take with you upon your departure? For us, it played out like this: My mom brought her purse (complete with camera), Ruth brought her book, the boys brought nothing (though Weston alone thought to put shoes on), Jeff brought his mobile office (laptop bag, plus all contents and his phone), and I carried out my laptop and my youngest child. Several of our fellow evacuators had their pets and electronics. But one lady held only her cowboy boots, which we thought a curious choice. I pray none of you ever has to be in this situation in real life, but I'm interested to know what you might deem important enough to take with you if you had to evacuate in just a few short minutes?

How we spent our summer vacation
(This was clearly taken after all serious threats were past.)

Mother's Day Weekend

We kicked off our Mother's Day weekend on Friday by picking up my mom at the airport. Then, yesterday, Mom wanted to take Ruth shopping for her birthday, so the girls spent the day in Wilmington, while the boys stayed at the condo, swimming and napping. Mom then offered to keep the kids last night so Jeff and I could go out. We picked a place--The Beach Shop and Grill--on the far end of the island so we would have an excuse to drive all the way down there. It was a fun drive and the restaurant turned out to be a jewel. Everything we ate was absolutely delicious! This morning, we celebrated Mother's Day with a yummy brunch at the Bluewater Grill in Wrightsville Beach. Then this afternoon we visited the U.S.S North Carolina in Wilmington. It was fascinating, and we all enjoyed it so much! When we got back to the condo, we spent a couple of hours on the beach, and now we are watching The Princess Bride, because I found out my mom has never seen it, and I wanted to make her Mother's Day (and life) complete. It has been such a lovely weekend. I'm so thankful my mom could be here on Mother's Day. And, I'm so blessed to be called "Mom" by four of the most amazing kids on the planet!

Brunch at the Bluewater Grill

My amazing and beautiful mom and me

The whole gang

So happy to be called "Mom" by these sweeties

Max and the U.S.S. North Carolina

Gunner

Ready, Aim, Fire!

Each link in this chain weighs more than twice what Clay weighs

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."--Virginia Woolf

In addition to all the soul restoration I mentioned yesterday, there are a couple of other major advantages to playing hard in the pool or on the beach all day. Specifically, some of my less enthusiastic eaters and sleepers are starving at meal times and exhausted at bed times. (Which is a whole other soul restoration in itself!) And, every once in a while, the eating and sleeping overlap, and you get this:

The Cure

I can't tell you all the ways my soul is being restored as I listen to the waves crash outside our condo or walk on the beach, collecting "treasures." Sitting on a beach blanket, watching my kids frolic, or lounging by the pool with a book in my hand, as the background music of splashing and laughing wash over me, are also abundantly therapeutic. Even with Jeff working in Raleigh this week, life doesn't seem chaotic. This is exactly what I hoped this vacation would be, exactly what I needed it to be. I can feel the knots untangling and a deep, even breathing taking over in place of the months of what felt like holding my breath, just trying to stay afloat. I perceive similar effects on the whole family. Peace and joy and well-being abound here. I'm so thankful we have this opportunity for renewal and rest, and I fully intend to make the very most of it!

The last two days

Braving the cold water

Brrr!

A warm up in the hot tub

Silly boy

Easing in to the deep end

Playing around with the underwater camera

Beach Baby

Jumping for joy

Showing off some treasures

Jumping the waves

Digger

Sea Monster

Examining a find

Sleeping on the beach after a hard day of play

Waterball

Having a ball

All tuckered out after a morning in the pool

Running, of course

The hard work of beach goers

Max: leaving his mark on the world since 2008

The very best big sister