Horses, Smores, and a Cowboy

Easter turned up with high temps. Smoking 88 degrees, which sounded perfect for our camping trip we planned on the beach at Assateague Island. Being the ultra organized we scram packed right before we left. You can picture me swelting melt bubbles thinking beach, beach, beach because in my bag of clothes all I added was a bikini, nightie, sunglasses, sunhat, and some cozy round the fire socks. What else could one possibly need?!?!! Your or "our bag" consisted of more swimmies than we could ever use, three alternating swimsuits for you (just in case you might not want to put a wet one back on), sunglasses, hats, every eco spf, the one teeny bug spray bottle I could find with a few squirts left, shorts, shirts, and some just in casers...flannels, fleecey hiking pants, wool socks, a baja, etc. Did I mention we never checked the weather?

You were prepped to sleep in the car for nap and woke up shortly before the bridge to Assateague Island. We all popped our winter heads out the windows like summer tourists gleaming at the water, sun, and hmm...lots and lots of wind. We debarked to Daddy saying, "It's freeeeeezing! I hope you brought some warm clothes." Sitting with Hero in my lap in my tank top I mental scram packed for optimism. We're at the beach! It's sunny! I walked Hero convincing myself it was doable, but readily put on the one sweatshirt your Dad handed me that he packed for himself. Sidenote, freezing for us was a beach not at 85 degrees. It was sunny and 60-70's warm enough for other folks to ride skateboards in bikini's and bikes in shorts but not Hawaii warm for this family.

We tried to set up camp before sunset while you forged in bushes cracking up asking us to follow you to the beach. Your Dad yelped for three horsefly bites and no long pants while making a fire and informing me Hero was silently enduring a small covering of those giant buggers. Bravest toughest dog in the land! I was having flashbacks of your Dad stomach groaning in the middle of the night from our last camping trip here in serious red welting bug country. A ranger informed us there was a probable rain shower so I tried to attach the fly on the tent with the wind backfiring and you hungry in one arm whimpering for dinner, the tent fly in the other when an easier way hit me and I caved, "lets forget camping. It's just not working. Let's find a hotel, play on the beach, watch sunset, and sleep warm." I just wanted a fun family time and no Daddo wig outs. We found a hotel and packed up camp when I mentioned, "the bugs are gone." We debated for about another ten to conclude, yes, hotel. We beach romped to everyones delight. Giggle fits are the best family fun. Roasted some smores, ate fruit salad, lentil soup, veggie dogs, and had you asleep in bed by I think 9:30-10:00. We spent the rest of the time at the beach, birdwatching, horseplaying, eating cooler food and hitting up morning pancake houses. Fantastic you wanted to swim in 60-70 degree weather! We pool splashed and reinstituted our love for Assateague King of the East Coast beaches and never saw a single bug the rest of the trip. It's incredible to see miles of pure beach on Assateague and painfully sad to see concrete carnival shorelines that aren't protected. Cringe!

I love the way you're made for adventure and flexibility and cuddling and funny fits. We spent the entire time basking in your sunny smile and riding the family high of no Daddy at work--vacation splendification. Now we are home settling into the post Easter zonks, enjoying the amazing weather, hanging at home in a great sleep routine, enjoying our neighborhood, and eating en house. The world turned green again before the turtle could say snap and it has slayed us in all its growing glory. Vegxcellence, thank you God.

You've been noting the way animals have a pleasure palate just like us. Dogs wag their tails, kitties purr, plants lean in to the sun, birds sing, we laugh, deers puddle jump, foxes wrestle, we all are made to not only drink full breaths of open air but to enjoy it. So when God fixes perfect picnic weather days, we have been gladly partaking in them.

I especially love your special signs: the way you run unabandoned, find a small pocket and weave your hand in and hold it there because you can, wrap your arms around my neck to cuddle against the wind, kiss me soft with a, "MUAH!" and then for the fifth time change it up for some open mouth head butting affections, when you enjoy your food and have to tell me how good it tastes, your excitement yelps and fully expressively happy face, your bed jumping where you sing all the words to 5 little monkeys and inform me you are, George. The Lord instructs us to have faith like a child for a reason. You teach me this countless times a day. Thank you baby stardreamer. Thank you. Let us praise Heaven!