Sunset & Sea Grass

“It isn't Narnia, you know," sobbed Lucy. "It's you. We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?"
"But you shall meet me, dear one," said Aslan.
"Are—are you there too, Sir?" said Edmund.
"I am," said Aslan. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

—The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 5) by C.S. Lewis

The sea and everything in it...

"He is the One who made Heaven and earth

The sea and everything in it

He is the One who keeps every promise forever

He gives justice to the oppressed

And sets the prisoners free..."

—From the song "Praise the Lord" sung by Natalie Grant and Laura Story 

(Glory Revealed II) 

Crazy

My husband and I can be a bit crazy sometimes. Usually, when one of us is crazy, the other is rational, but there are rare moments when we are both out of our minds crazy. My husband was the crazy one, the Thursday before Labor Day. He convinced me that it would be fun to take a spontaneous, 10-hour drive camping trip to Virginia Beach for the weekend with our two children, both under 3. It sounded fun, but I really thought he was a bit nuts. Not only was it a long drive, but we couldn't afford a huge vacation. His solution...take any food we had in the fridge/freezer/pantry with us. We had an air mattress, and a lot of our own camping gear. We didn't have a tent that would accommodate our family (we had a 2-3 man tent from our pre-children days). He said we could borrow one! My reasons for not doing it were dwindling. Besides, I like that he keeps me young by wanting to do such playful things! I looked online for available campsites at the area state parks. Nothing was available...no wait! There's one! Oops...it's taken. No wait...it's available again! I grabbed it. We were committed. Yikes! So, we threw our stuff together, found a willing friend who let us borrow their family's tent, loaded up the kiddos, and took off for Virginia Beach for Labor Day weekend.

It was absolutely gorgeous, and we made some wonderful memories as a family. Was it a little crazy? Sure! But what is life without a little crazy to keep us sane?

There's no place like my 2nd home (Part 2).

There's no place like my 2nd home (Part 1).

There is a little section of the Southern Gulf Coast that is like another home to me. My heart yearns to return there every year, and when I do, I feel like I have returned to a piece of home. My family made the trip earlier this Spring, and it was delightful.

Flowers getting ready to bloom at the local zoo.

There was a lot of fog when we first arrived, but after it cleared away, we were left with a gorgeous sunset and beautiful surf.

Aahhhhhhh!

That's just a sampling. I'll share more later. Enjoy!

Atop the Bluffs

Hello, Sleeping Bear Dunes. I miss you.

The Beach

Ahhh . . . the beach. There's just no place like it! I get so much energy from being by the sea. We just got back from a mini beach vacation, and it was so nice to be there once again. It restores something in me.

The water was still a bit cold, but we enjoyed being on the sand, the warm sun, and watching the waves crash. Our weather was mostly beautiful with just a little bit of cloudiness and rain the first day—but, then again, is there ever a bad day when you're at the beach? Can't wait to go back!

One of my favorite places

Watching the waves at the Gulf Islands National Seashore—Florida district

This is one of my favorite places in North America. It's sort-of a secondary home to me. My family has vacationed in this area for many, many, many years, and it never gets old. My husband and I were sitting on the sand, and watching the sun set over the Gulf when I took this picture. There were Willets darting in and out of the waves, and the sunlight on the water was just incredible. Every time I look at this picture, it takes me back to that. It's like having a little mini-vacation in my memory. There's just nothing more peaceful than watching the waves roll in like this. It speaks to my soul! The world becomes clear, sitting at the edge of the sea. The chaos comes into focus. It's amazing to find peace in the roar of the ocean, but I do.

Empire Bluffs Trail—Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

View of Lake Michigan from the Empire Bluffs Trail
in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

On the Empire Bluffs Trail

Empire Bluffs trail

Earlier this Fall, my mother-in-law and I went on a short hike on the Empire Bluffs trail in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It's a hilly, 1.5 mile (round trip) hike through beech-maple forest, fields, and dune plants. The day was perfect—blue sky, mild temperatures, light breeze, and blue, blue water. We had such a good time being outdoors, and taking in the wonderful fresh air. This was the only sunny day during our week-long visit.

The Mouth of the Platte

The mouth of the Platte River, where it empties into Lake Michigan

We've been traveling a lot lately, which is why I haven't had regular posts. We first traveled to the Alabama Gulf Coast, then up to North Michigan. I'll be in Illinois next to celebrate my grandparent's 70th wedding anniversary. Then we have the holidays coming up, too! Whew!

This photo was taken when we were with my husband's family in Northern Michigan. My daughter had never seen Lake Michigan (even though she's 10-months-old and won't remember it), so we had to take her—if only to get pictures of her there. The Michigan side of Lake Michigan is so beautiful! It definitely smacks of home for me. This particular day was very cloudy (as you can see), but the reflection on the water was amazing! It's hard to believe that this is where a river empties into a Great Lake—it's just too serene. You can see Sleeping Bear Dunes in the background. Even though there was no blue sky, it was a beautiful day to see the Lake.

Perdido Key Sunset

We were recently on vacation in the Florida panhandle and Alabama Gulf Coast. It was wonderful!! I've loved this area for a long time. I grew up vacationing there. It holds a special place in my heart. This year was special, since we were celebrating our anniversary while there, but also because it was our first family vacation with our daughter. It made it even more special having her there. The water was just as warm as ever, and the air was just as salty, but it was all enhanced by having my family with me—my husband and my daughter. I'm very blessed, and very thankful.

Serenity by The Big Lake

I love how the sand has covered parts of this bench on the Lake Michigan beach at Point Betsie. This was such a gorgeous day in April 2008. The sky and water were amazing, and I was there with my husband and some wonderful friends and family. I'll always love this spot in Northern Michigan.