Watch out Beach...Here we Come!

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

"For whatever we lose
(like a you and a me)
It's always ourselves
we find in the sea."
(ee Cummings)

Thought it was so very cool that an entire room was dedicated at the art museum yesterday to paintings of the sea. There were some great quotes all around the room too, that fit the theme of the room. Those two above were my favorites!!

(By the way: if you want to check out pics from the museum--and Sydney's priceless comments--check out my next post, which I sneaked in briefly last night.)

The paintings and the quotes made me yearn for the beach. And, guess what? My yearnings will be fulfilled--since we're heading out in mere minutes.

We'll be going to Panama City Beach, Florida, which is a beautiful beach on the Gulf Coast. In fact, the beaches of Alabama and Florida are my favorite anywhere. You can't imagine how white the sand is. It's just gorgeous!!

I have been, though, to a number of other beaches, and they all have made me quite happy. So, in anticipation of our week at the beach, I thought I'd take you all on a Walk Down Beach Memory Lane with Cheryl!!

(Don't you just love beach and water pictures just about more than anything? I guess it's all that blue and white that just makes for beautiful photos!)

When I was in tenth grade, my parents let me go on a trip with my high school Spanish group to Mexico (still one of the coolest things my parents ever did for me--letting me go out on my own to venture into another country.) We went to Mexico City, Taxco, ancient ruins...but, of course my fifteen-year-old self couldn't wait to get to the beach. This is Acapulco...

Then, when I was in college, I went on a mission trip to Jamaica. We spent most of the week working in the interior of the island, teaching Vacation Bible Schools and repairing a church and some village buildings. But we did make it to the beach every so often. Here is a picture I took...

And then Gary and I went to Aruba on our honeymoon and it was absolutely beautiful!! By far, it had the most beautiful water I've ever seen. So crystal clear, you could see forever (I didn't take this picture--sorry!--because I didn't have time to scan any this morning. But you get the idea. Gorgeous!)...

We are used to the Gulf coast, but we have ventured to the Atlantic also. Our first taste of the Atlantic Ocean was on a trip to South Carolina to visit my aunt and uncle. We took a day trip out to the beach (and were struck by the difference in the beach here than what we were used to. A much wider beach and gray, but still beautiful!)...

We've been to the beach pretty much every year since we've been married, and I dug out some pictures from over the years!

At Gulf Shores, Alabama, before Sydney was even a thought in our minds...



Here we are, with Sydney now a part of our lives. Her first trip to the beach was to Tybee Island, Georgia...


The next year, she totally got into the beach. Here she is on our first trip to Panama City Beach...


Back again to Tybee Island a year later...


And then this last Spring we spent a day at the Florida beach, while we were down south for our family reunion...


I can't wait to add more pictures to the collection!!!!!

I will be taking my computer and hope to pop on every once in a while to give updates on Delaney's softball games and to also post a picture here and there.

Hope you all have a wonderful week! I will be thinking of you!!