celebrating my firstborn

Sarah and Elizabeth invited me to join their families for a vacation at Gulf Shores. One more big sleep and we will be meeting up in the afternoon to caravan a few hours, stop overnight and finish up our drive on Saturday. A new beach in a new state. I am looking forward to walks along the shoreline. Looking for shells, maybe finding new varieties. I never get tired of walking and looking at the treasures the ocean leaves in the sand. (I never knew different beaches would have different types of shells until I went with a friend three years ago to beaches near New Port Richey, FL. And when I went to the beach with Ruth in Kyle in the Pacific NW two summers ago I discovered it was easier to find whole sand dollars there than it was to find even partial "regular" shells-that was a huge switch!) 

I've spent the day getting ready. Unpacking my trunk. Clearing off the back seat. Searching for beach stuff in the building. Trying on clothes and packing my suitcase. Making a list, checking it twice and crossing off tasks as I complete them. It is considerably shorter now than it was this morning and I am relieved. There are a few simple, last minutes things to take care of in the morning and then I'll be on my way to one of my happy places. (I need to add stop and fill up the tank to my list.)

The beach speaks to our souls and offers healing and rest that is different than what we receive anywhere else. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. I hope I can sleep and rest when I close my eyes tonight. I've been looking forward to this trip since they extended the invitation a few months ago. But the thing I am most excited about? The gift of spending extended time with my firstborn, celebrating their birthday week. It's been a lot of years since that happened. Doing it at the beach is frosting on the cake.