Insert Grace Here

The long awaited highlights  of the Gunther-Sutton-Durand beach trip of ’09 are finally here for all two of you who were interested.

Have I told y’all how much I love the beach?

I thought so.  There’s just something about the salty air, the summer breeze and beautiful hues of the ocean that make for a relaxing atmosphere.  Cares are lifted as the ocean waves rush in to carry them away.  Or so it is in the serene picture played out in my mind.

In truth, there’s only One Who lifts the cares of this world.  Only One Who brings peace.  One fight with Courtney followed by an unforeseen meltdown by yours truly and I was quickly reminded from whence cometh my help.

We had not yet made it to our destination on the white sand when the meltdown ensued.  Right there one the beach frustration got the best of me.  Right there on the beach someone raised their voice rather loudly and said a few things that should NOT have been said.  I spent so much time trying to write Insert Grace Here . . . in the sand (without the italics, of course, because, do you know how hard it is to write legibly in the sand?) that I forgot how desperately I need grace inserted *here* daily.  And the ocean waves just can’t do that.

Lesson learned.  The ocean is so much sweeter when God’s grace is first received.

We didn’t want to leave.  Aside from a desperately needed get-away as well as the deep longing to see the beach of my hometown (at the risk of upsetting family members with little time for visiting), this trip was a sort of last family vacation as a family unit.  Of course, we’re not necessarily losing a daughter, but rather, adding a son and soon a grandson.  But this Mama needed a family trip with the whole family—including the new Bride.

What we didn’t expect was Sophie bringing along an extra.  Enter Cooper.  But not really.  Except in Sophie’s imagination.  Although he is real.  He’s in her preschool class and I think his family attends our church.  Apparently he’s her favorite.  I know this because I asked, “Sophie, who is your favorite friend in your class?”

And she said, “Plobly, Cooper.”

Plobly we should’ve expected Cooper to join us.  He’s not the first to join us in Sophie’s imagination.  So now I just play along.

Here’s a few shots on the beach:

We were concerned the night before at Navarre Beach that Sophie wouldn’t like the sand.  She wanted us to carry her the minute her feet touched the gritty, white stuff.  And then she discovered the wonder of throwing sand.

I’ll spare the story of my regret over not wearing my new one piece Vintage navy with white polka dots bathing suit from Urban Outfitters courtesy of my family on Mother’s Day.  It’s a dark place that I’m trying to avoid.  You’re welcome.

I love that picture!  I love how relaxed Joe was on our trip.  I love that God saw fit to grant us this trip.

Cooper joined us as we visited the gift shops.  Funny, he didn’t show up in any of those pictures either.  He did get lots of stares.  Or maybe that was us after Sophie called out, “Cooper, come on.  Let’s go to the bathroom.”  To which I responded, “Cooper is NOT going to the bathroom with you.  He’s a boy.”

Aside from the aforementioned meltdown, we laughed and played in the sand and tried to build sand castles.  Much like writing in the sand, building a sand castle is harder than it looks even if you have a vast supply of buckets, shovels, cups and other plastic goods from The Dollar Tree.  Thank you, Cammie.  Some of us even slept through Sophie’s snoring.  Thank God for earplugs.

We ate delicious food from Cocodries on Navarre Beach as well as a place called Bull Feathers on Pensacola Beach.  I think that’s what it was called.  I do recall that the food was great but I was a little distracted by images of Hobo wallets at my favorite boutique style gift shop.  And then there was Landry’s.  Sunday night we drove into Pensacola to eat at Landry’s on the Bay.

It’s a bit pricey, but the food is delicious.  The atmosphere was different this time, though.  We sat at a large, round table in a back corner.  Sophie moved back and forth from her seat next to me to an empty one next to Joe.  Conversation was difficult at times due to the laughter (mostly from Courtney).  My very important, very deep, analogy and life lesson was interrupted numerous times.  Every time I’d go to speak, a large Asian family (They weren’t large people, but rather, a large group of people.) sitting next to us and directly behind me would begin to laugh and laugh and laugh.  And then their very loud waiter would begin to laugh and laugh and laugh with them.

Laughter is contagious.  Laugh, laugh, laugh.  Snickers from Courtney followed by chuckles and guffaws across our table.  More laughter.  Turn and stare at Asian family.

Repeat.

And then . . . the highlight of the whole trip.  As the Asian family began walking out, Sophie got up from the table and joined their very large group.  We were so stunned.  So we did what any other family would do—laughed hysterically.  Joe managed to get up from the table and call out, “SOPHIE,” in between his chuckles.  The girls and I couldn’t speak.

Uncontrollable laughter kept Courtney and me from seeing what happened next.  Sophie threw her arms up at the woman she clearly assumed was me.  The woman smiled and waved at her, “bye bye, bye bye.”  I believe it was at that moment that Sophie realized the Asian woman was not her mom, and the large group of people with the woman was not our family.

So she ran to her Dad who was calling, “SOPHIE!  Come pahahahahaha here.”

The poor thing was clearly embarrassed and frightened.  The Asian family stood smiling and laughing and waving bye bye while we tried to comfort Sophie.  It was no use.  Joe asked Sophie if she thought the woman was me.  She nodded.  I tried and tried to get out the words, “I would NEVER leave you.”  But it sounded something like, “I would ne- PAHAHAHA ver HAHAHAHAHA lea– PAhahahaha you.”

Our laughter eventually stifled and Sophie bounced back from her near tramatic experience.  I’m just glad she was trying to trade us in.  I’m not sure her new family would accept Cooper.