Our Week At the Beach

I'm thankful for our 7th year to come down to South Padre Island with LK's family.  We've had changes over the years- LK's grandmother is no longer here, babies born, condos moved- but the family time together still continues to be a blessing.  I'm thankful we both have families we enjoy being around.  I know that is not a reality for everyone but I'm thankful it is for us.

I'm thankful for our safe drive down here, and will preemptively be thankful for our safe drive home tomorrow.

I'm thankful for the fabulous way the boys' hair curls tightly in the sea air.  For the way it bounces as they run into the water (so fearlessly brave these days).  Thankful for their first signs of summer blonde coming out in their hair (may the next baby have good air too!)

I'm thankful for the beach sunrises I've seen this week.  Waking up early at the beach is not something I really ever do.  And maybe it's the pregnancy or just a new stage in life, but I've been up before the sun every day this week.  And I'm thankful this has allowed me quiet time on the deck watching the sun come up over the water.  Oklahoma sunsets are the best hands down, but sunrises over the ocean are hard to beat.

I'm thankful for Geo and his adding one more candle on the cake.  How did 9 years go by already!  I'm also thankful for the special relationship we've been able to form this year.  I know as he gets older it will be more basketball and guy time and I'm thankful for that.  But I'm also thankful for the way he'll come and have chats with me (even if they are sometimes about his fear of the abuse of coal-- no, I'm not kidding).  I'm thankful that he sees me as someone to confide in, someone who's advise is worthy of considering, thankful that even on the weird things, he's willing to talk.

And I'm thankful for my work.  I've had a lot of calls this week and several emergencies to walk clients through.  It's been busier than it normally is for me this week. And I'll admit there's been a moment or two of wishing I could just shut off my phone.  But really, I am thankful for my job.  I counted up that by the end of the year I will take around 50 days of vacation.  And while I'm working on most of those days, there's rarely a job that allows one to go and do as she pleases the way I can.  Especially since those 50 days don't include the day at school for field day or Friday mornings at the kids' Eagle Beat.  So I'm thankful that even at the times this can seem like a shackle- I'm able to remember how freeing it actually is.  And I'm thankful for the blessing of it.