Beach trip

This weekend was wonderful. We rented a little beach house with a few other couples and it was just the perfect little mini vacay, and gave us some much needed family time!  

The house we rented was a tad misrepresented in my option, aka the advertised "third bathroom" was in fact a shower outside. But really, I was surprised how 4 couples and 8 kids did just fine in two bathrooms! 

The first night and morning were a tad rough. The girls went to bed at 11 and then woke up for the day at 4:50 asking to go see Dolphins! Then at nap time Nora mastered escaping from her pack and play and literally appeared standing over me just as my eyes were closing out on the deck for a little nap! But I'm happy to say by that night they decided they were over it and slept great the rest of the trip. 

This trip was really nothing fancy or special, but it will always hold a special little place in my heart. I've talked a lot about how God has mapped out this adoption ever so specifically. This weekend gave me so much time alone with my girls, away from laundry and groceries and just life. Even Nora's little nap refusal gave me two solid hours with her alone on the beach and then 2 solid hours with just Zoe. It was just time to be still, time to enjoy my little family the way it is right now. I would be lying if I didn't admit that I teared up a few times as I sat with my two babies, watching the ocean and talking about the waves and fish, very aware that this season is ending. 

But I feel like God stopped life this weekend and let me just soak in our family of four and regroup before starting this new chapter. We all four rocked each night before bed on the side of the bed, or as the girls called it, "family rock." We sat for hours and built sand castles and then ate hotdogs and played with friends all night. No one got in trouble for just eating queso for dinner or skipping brushing their teeth. We just enjoyed each other! 

I feel ready to take on this next task. I have a lot of peace about it! Sure, I am drowning under piles of sandy laundry, but I am uncharacteristically calm about it all. So far no worries about traveling across the world. I am starting to get a little knot in my stomach about leaving the girls for a week, but aside from that, I'm excited! It's finally the right time for us to add Jane to our little family. 

Thank you God for giving me 3 days at the beach with wonderful family. This no frill, little Galveston vacation may be my favorite one so far!

Eventually all two year olds give in. Even mine 

The aquarium. Every time we ask them what their favorite thing about the trip was Nora says, "the man washing the windows." She was obsessed with the guys in scuba suits cleaning the windows in the giant tank at the aquarium. Never mind the Sharks and stink Rays and giant sea turtles swimming by! 

Sand fun! 

Busy playing. 

Levi worked SO hard to dodge this photo. Can you see him!? ;) 

Worn out wet baby girls! 

Just a little sand fun. 

She's all ready to go "count Dolphins." And count Dolphins she did. Did we ever see one? No! Oh but Nora put in some good work counting them at the beach. It was actually kind of strange. My little goof.