A Day at the Beach

There really is something about the beach. The sand and saltwater and time sitting with my girlfriends reading magazines and making fun of the passersbys. Just a relaxing and peaceful time that makes me yearn for the beach every summer. Paul is three years old and has yet to experience this giant sandbox and swimming pool that exist naturally on earth. So it seems only right that I should want to pack him up and get him there to spend a day. And who better to do this with than my girls whom I've known the better part of my life and their children? So, after packing toys and lathering children up with sunscreen and getting the cars loaded down, off we went. Let me state for the record that there was no relaxing or making fun of passersbys. However, I enjoyed the beach in a way I never have before. I got to sit back and watch these 5 children dig and play in the sand together. I sat with my two girlfriends and I watched our children play together. How amazing. At one point, Paul and Evan took off running in opposite directions. I chased these two toddlers up the beach and listened to Evan's delighted giggle. I watched Anna's girls jump waves. It truly was an experience. After a short hour and a half on the beach, the lightening and thunder rolled in and we packed it in. We probably could've headed back out on to the beach after getting everyone cleaned up and to the cars but decided to head home. Paul had a great time playing with his new friends. He was exhausted after his day, but it was well worth the trip. Next time, we will spend more time, but we had to get home to Eli, who is still recovering from his pneumonia.