I'll say it again: Nothing Like It!

Last week, I wrote a short entry entitled, Nothing Like It!...
(We were on vacation, my husband, second oldest daughter, and our twins. In the most beautiful place I've seen in a long time. Every morning, my husband & I, would sit and sip our hot tea on our balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The view, morning, noon or night, was breath taking. I love sand and palm trees and waves coming in. There were two days that the near perfect weather was threatened by scattered thunderstorms...even on those days, there was a different kind of beauty to the ocean...a different color, a different rhythm...gorgeous, indeed!)

This is our first week back home, back to our real life from being away!! It has been surprisingly good. I really thought I'd come home, sell everything we owned and move to the beach, with anyone that would come with me. Oh, come on, you know you've thought the same thing after you've been some place wonderful!

Anyway, reality did hit me, when we had lunch with our whole family on Sunday after church. Our oldest daughter and her family had not come with us on this vacation, so this would be our first time together in 10 days! We were at our favorite Mexican restaurant. You know the one, the place where they know our family so well, they put us in a separate room, and just start bringing our favorite things, because they know us! The laughter, the food, the grandson dancing around in a huge sombrero...(not too much of a surprise that he'd become a comedian while we were away!--hilarious!) We were celebrating the fact that we were together again...we'd talked many times during our time away, but it was good to love on them in person, and be home.

Reality hit again, when later that afternoon, I took a good look at & listen to our 13 year old twins. They love the beach life (we missed one of them at the pool one of our days, and found her in the middle of a sand volleyball game on the beach with a bunch of people she'd just met!--very fun), they love people...and they love (in spite of what they 'say') each other! As I looked at them, I realized, they are growing up really fast. We've never had a 13 year old child in our home, that belonged to us, without a toddler or baby of some sort following her around...this IS a new adventure! And, this place, our town, is familiar to them...they know everyone around them well...

We have many adventures in middle school coming up and then the adventures, heart breaks and victories of high school life for them will soon follow...in this place that is familiar and where they know everyone around them well...

Why? Why? would we pack them up, and move someplace else (barring some unforeseen circumstance) at this point in their lives. I know, I know, people move every day. And, yes, YES, the lure of the waves and the view is enticing...but OH, how fun to consider what it will be like if we stay here for this time in our lives...just a little longer....and watch as our girls move in to adulthood together, here in the familiar...where they can be active 'aunts' ...wouldn't that be better? Wouldn't that count for more in the relationshipand foundation of what we call our family?

We have roots here. My husband moved to this community in 1976. He married me, and moved me here in 1981. That's a long time ago! --But, it's also our history...our life...and, it's a place where we can, so far, give our children 'wings' to fly to their own place in life...Lord willing!
This place is a good place to have both: roots and wings...and I read once where those are the only things we should be really concerned about giving our children...Roots and Wings...
I'll say it again: Nothing Like It!