I had to do it...

I had to drive to the beach with two of my very best friends in the world listening to Norah Jones all the way there and talking girl stuff.
I had to throw my things in my room and get to the beach as fast as I could.
I had to feel the sand in my toes.

I had to see my little girl in one of her eight bathing suits looking out across the ocean and wonder what in the world she was thinking.

I had to fight back a few tears as I saw my girls.

I had to have this picture.

We had to have a sand castle with our favorite chips on top

I had to hold all her shells. I had to keep up with her treasures. I didn't mind.

I had to remember that I only have these two for a short time and making sure they

have my undivided attention and making sure they know that I love them more than

anything else in the world. They are two of my best friends in the whole world and I love spending time with them. Even though we spend seven days a week together, 24 hours a day

I want them to understand that I want to know them. I want to enjoy them. I want them to know I cherish them as my daughters.

We had to have friends along on the journey.

Sometimes a girl just has to cry. We understand. We've been there. We know.

We pick her up and engulf her in our love and she's all better and we're better for it.

We understand each other.

I had to eat great food with my girls. A quaint little pizza joint sitting outside under the cool Florida breeze right before sunset.... A girls gotta have her chicken nuggets on the beach. Terribly bad for us, but we had to do it.





I had to breathe them in. I had to sneak them away from the hustle and bustle of our big

family life and eat ice-cream, watch girl movies, sleep late, and stay on the beach for 6 hours.

We had to.

I had to have them all to myself but I still missed my one true love. My true north was at home.

We had some friends there and we put our chairs in the water and solved the worlds problems

right on the sandy beaches.

We had to.

Sometimes you just need to do it. Drive South with your girls. Lay out on a big towel and soak in the friendship; build memories that they will not forget.

Have fun; live....

I had to.

I have to say thank you Lord for a safe trip..

and thank you to our friends at the beach:)