Sand in my eyes.

We all just got back from a week long trip to the beach.  We've been home for days but yet I still have a huge suitcase sitting in my hallway fully packed with sandy clothes, shells, flip-flops, and seashells.  I think I'm secretly hoping I'll just throw it back in my car and head right on back down for another extended stay.  Zeke loves the beach sooooo much.  I mean, all kids love the beach, but I really think my kid has saltwater in his veins.  When asked if he'd rather go to the boardwalk or the beach, he'll say the beach every time.  He loves to stare into shallow areas of water and find any signs of life.  This past stay, we collected about a thousand teeny tiny clams, a gazillion brine shrimp, and tons of sea hermit crabs.  Sadly, every single one of them died after a day in Zeke's yellow beach bucket.  There were BIG tears when he realized nothing was moving around anymore in his bucket.  How did I stop the flow?  We went and bought 3 land hermit crabs and a nice big cage to bring them home in.  The word "sucker" is written on my forehead...I know it and embrace it.

I'm a mixed bag of emotions with the beach.  I love relaxing on my chair and listening to the waves, but the water petrifies me.  There's so much unknown life in there.  Life that I don't want snapping hold of my toes if I'm swimming around in those dark waters.  So, I stay only ankle deep in the ocean and enjoy the breezes and salt air instead. 

For now, we're pool rats.  No more beach for a bit now that Zeke has started summer basketball.  I'm going to try to squeeze in a few more beach trips in between basketball games just so that the summer doesn't fly by in a big haze.  I missed my baby too much all school year to let these precious summer days whip on by.  And if you need to get in touch with us, call after 10 or 11 a.m.  We're on summer schedule baby...we wake up when we wanna'!