The summer has been difficult with all of our money troubles here @ home, but we did get the chance to travel a bit to the beach. Timothy was nearly nine months-old and he was so curious about everything. Loud noises, like the ocean, though, made him nervous. He didn’t mind the sand so much–and there’s something wonderful about babies at the beach, even though it’s an enormous pain in the booty to bring a baby there. You haul all of the paraphernalia up to the ocean, and he only wants to stay for ten minutes. We got about an hour of time seaside before he got fussy. I had one swim in some really rough water. The riptide was exceptionally strong that day; I wished my older son, Matt, had tagged along because I feel safer swimming with him nearby. I guess because I didn’t get to swim that much, I am missing the beach now more than ever. I just feel more like myself near the ocean. Everything in me gets very centered. It’s my dream to have a beach house to live in for the whole summer. Matt and I would be so happy there, and CJ would too because–growing up in Vancouver–the ocean is a part of him as well. We are in financial chaos so even considering a home there is futile for now. Hope we win the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes! 🙂