A Day at the Beach

We're back! We had a great long weekend at the beach. It was so much fun to see our friends Andy & Ashley (Lott not Ethridge) and to get to play in the sand. Wilson really enjoyed himself as you can see in the pictures. The last time he went to the beach we went with the Lotts to "their beach" in Biloxi- the weekend before Katrina. It was about 100 degrees and extremely still- literally the calm before the storm. We didn't have much fun because it was so hot!! This time it probably did not get up to 90, the sky was beautiful, and there was a steady breeze- perfect weather!

There was a feeling of bittersweet to me the whole time, however. Driving down there it was hard to see the remaining signs of Katrina in our state- a hundred miles inland. Hattiesburg was still littered with blue tarp roofs, trees were down everywhere, and stores were still closed. Once we got to the beach in AL, things were a little better, but Ivan's presence was still all around almost two years later. Where many of the beach houses once had been there was nothing but the stilts they used to stand on; there was one home that was a pile of rubble with a wicker sofa and an arm chair on top. I can't imagine what our coast must look like. Still, Andy and Ashley were hopeful- both said that if the MS gulf coast can look that good in two years they'd be thrilled!

We had such a great time, but it's always nice to be back home. Wilson was thrilled to see his dogs and they couldn't wait to get home (thanks to Granna, Granddaddy, & Uncle John for housing the mutts while we were gone). Wilson and I will be back at the beach in a few weeks with my mom while my dad & brother go on their adventure to Philmont in AR, so I'm still debating about whether or not I should even de-sand everything! We can't wait to be by the ocean again! Tomorrow Wilson and I are off to his 2nd swimming lesson. He's really enjoying them and got really good at his "kick, kick, kick" in the pool at the beach.