Celebrating Motherhood: Until Next Year

The Lord is gracious and compassionate; good to all...

faithful to all of His promises

loving toward all He has made

righteous in all His ways

near to all who call on Him

watches over all who love Him

My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord

Psalm 145

I've watched them grow up here on this beach. I have watched them fight the dragon of waves with their daddy going on four years now. The sweet time of fellowship, eating and cooking together and hauling our stuff from the house to the beach every morning.

Waking up to the sunrise and feeling like I'm home here.

There is such a gift in going back to a place over and over. The years of just knowing where you will sleep when you get there and what we will do if the rain comes in.

Our favorite restaurant still going strong and this year a new one made the list.

The walk across the bridge that leads to the little island and the sticker bushes in the sand.

This was Marlee's first year at the beach house

and her first time to see the beauty of the waves. She played in the sand and

she didn't seem to mind it at all.

She was sick on this trip and me and papa had to stay up late in the hours of

the night so Taylor and John could rest and we took turns holding her and praying for her.

We sang and whispered sweet things in her ear right before she threw up all over me..

It's amazing though how we didn't even flinch. We just knew what to do.

It didn't bother me that I had her throw up all over me.

It's just cool like that when you're a Birdie and she's your grand-baby.

These little girls are not so little any more and the beach and the waves don't scare them like it used to. My heart over-flows with gratitude for the way they still like to crawl in our bed. The way Josie always reminds us that she's the baby of the family. (by only 4 mins.)

and Channie's servant heart. Goodness, if I had any sense at all I would study her more.

Copy her and the things she says and does. She is one of the sweetest, kindest girls I know and it inspires me to be just like her.

Ellie is still my little cook. She will help you do anything and make any task the brighter for it. So on this trip she stayed in the kitchen helping us cook and clean. She doesn't like Josie saying she's the baby because she said "I'm your baby too", right mama?"

Yes, you are Ellie

They climb on the rocks right outside our house and the waves pound all around them but they know this place and they know how far they can go.

I still spend my time counting 1-2-3-4-5-6 and in reality I guess I always will.

Watching to make sure the waves don't pull them under or the world for that matter.

A mama bear I am and I admit it whole-heartily.

Going back always helps you remember the year before and when you remember the year

before it keeps your mind straight. They're taller and bigger and the time I have them

to count them, to cover them is slowly slipping away and just like the waves I can't hold it back.

Time is fleeting and it's constantly moving and we have to remember to not get pulled under by the rip tide of this world and enjoy them and invest in them..