Celebrating :: Memorial Day and One Year in CA

Memorial Day Weekend :: Surf's Up, originally uploaded by islandj.

This weekend we are celebrating being here in Carlsbad for one full year! It's hard to believe how quickly the time has passed, the many blessings we've received, and the fact that we are NOT moving again anytime soon! Hurrah! Saturday was the official One Year mark, and the kids and I went to Legoland for a short afternoon, and then we all went to self-serve frozen yogurt for dessert. Who knew something so basic could bring so much joy to little ones? Three kinds of yogurt? Sure! five toppings? Sure! A dribble of this, a sprinkle of that, and for $2 they had the treat of their lives.

Yesterday we celebrated being in CA with our first summer beach day. After a hugely restful morning, we headed to South Ponto Beach and the kids wore their (new to them) wetsuits. Is there anything better than a kid in a wetsuit with their boogie boards? (besides the same with an actual surfboard, of course). I remember so clearly our first days at the beach last May/June, when they would barely enter the water, and could hardly keep their heads up. Yesterday, Sterling marched straight in with his boogie board and commenced riding the waves in! He rode well, he fell in a few times, he sputtered, got up, and went back at it. What a day! Siena also did her version of beaching - she carried the boogie board down to the beach, and then left it for jumping in the shallow waves, collecting beach rocks, and exploring the shoreline. Sage stayed closer to mom and dad, digging a hole, filling it with bucket after bucket of water, and generally steering clear of the every moving water (it's pretty suspicious, how it comes and goes with such rapidity). When she finally stood in about four inches of it and splashed away, she was enraptured!

Daddy and I? Well, we just enjoyed sitting in the warm sand and watching everyone have a good time. We talked, uninterrupted (mostly) for two hours. I do so love the beach!

And today, a day of remembrance, we think of those we know who have served our country, those we love who are there right now, and those who we love who have passed into a new reality we can only dream and pray about. I'm feeling kind of quiet as I think of those who I have loved, and even a wee lad I never got to officially meet, and the joy set before them, and someday, for us all.

And I'm thankful for this life I have, with these people I adore.