Monday, July 16, 2012

the records conclusion

{leg three}
day ten
-june 18-
we spend the morning walking on the beach and collecting treasures for our treasure box. it rains a bit here and there and then the sun comes out. we run in the waves and find the vultures mid morning snack. we say goodbye to beverly beach and make our way to cape lookout. the sun is shining and there is nowhere else we would rather be on than on the beach. we play. find a new friend. her name is violet and she is camping right across from us. her parents are lovely. we eat late this night and enjoy the sky as we watch the red and pink make streaks across the horizon.
{cape lookout state park}
day eleven
-june 19-
we are heading to pacific city for the day. it is the first place that scott and i ever stayed at along the coast and we love it. we bring our surf boards, buy a boogie board for the girls. the sky is dark in the morning. we eat our fathers day lunch at the pelican pub. it is a traditional stop. the rain starts to pour outside. we watch the stand up paddle boarders in the cove and keep an eye open for whales. by the time lunch is over the sun is making its way out. we race up the sand dune mountain and then back down. we suit up and get ready for the waves. we ride a little and enjoy the beach. i struggle a little this day, having such high hopes and expectations. wanting something that i need to be patient for. we drive back to camp and watch another spectacular sunset. there are prayers for forgiveness. i am overwhelmed with the feeling of being blessed.
day twelve
-june 20-
a beautiful morning. we dress for the beach and spend the morning playing. when the time comes we are packed and off for nahalem bay. once there we spend what day we have left on the beach. it is windy and kurok plays like a puppy. we find shells and crabs. the jellyfish are all picked up by penny who tries to bring them home. we convince her to put them back with their families. i am sure that more than one made their way into her pockets.
day thirteen
-june 21-
our destination is oswald west state park. the surf was small and calm, beautiful. we climbed the rocks, made sandcastles, jumped in the waves and enjoyed our moments together. it was windy but breathtaking.
day fourteen
-june 22-
we are on our way home. we say goodbye to the friends we have found and met. the rain has started to fall and feel overwhelmed with blessings for the days we have had together. we soak in as much as we can as we start the long trip home. this is the last year for a while we will do this trip. there are others to be had. but it is hard for me to leave this area.
we make our way north. along with the rain. we cross the boarder to washington and continue the drive. we pass our breakdown spot from last year and breath a sigh of relief. and then we break down again. an hour north of last year. i cried. a lot. scott said it would make for a great story if it hadn't have happened last year. it was late. i was tired. we made it to a pull off and slept, sort of, until three in the morning. we limped the truck to a parking lot with wi-fi. we tried to sleep some more.
day fifteen
-june 23-
we were supposed to be home. good thing i packed extra undies. we eat some breakfast. we try to keep the girls and dog calm as we make decisions as to how to get home. there are phone calls. there are tears, by all of us. there is rescue. a truck with a hitch with the logo for teer co landsacping. a driver name gary. there are more tears. we attach the trailer to the truck, dog in the back, the family in the front. we almost loose the dog on the i5. more tears. the dog is in the front. we inch home and are handed dinner from carleigh. we are home.
day sixteen
-june 24-
i am joined by carleigh and her little ones to help clean and unpack. scott returns with the teer truck to seattle to pick up our truck with the car hauler. i see him again at around eleven at night. we crawl into bed. wrap our arms around each other. it is always an adventure when you travel with the werdals.

Monday, July 9, 2012

records part two

{leg two}
day six
-june 14-
we spend the morning digging and playing at the beach. we find shells and rocks, drift wood and other collectibles, we leave them all behind when we head back for lunch. with full tummies we hit the road again, this time our destination is beachside state park. it is a short drive but penny still can't keep her eyes open. after setting up camp we take our shoes off and walk the beach, exploring, writing in the sand, finding treasures, enjoying creation. we may even look for unique pieces that have washed up from japan. we pretend even if we don't really find much. the night is stunning and the stars call out the name of their Creator.
day seven
-june 15-
the sun is bright and warm. we can think of nothing better than sitting and playing on the beach. we tuck our buckets under our arms, lather on the sunscreen and put some treats in the backpack. it's a beach day, all day.
{grumpy face from extremely cold water...i was trying to convince him this was just like going to hawaii}
{nana face}
day eight
-june 16-
with plans to move on we spend the morning at the beach. the girls have made their first friend and had spent the night visiting with her, we now spend the morning with her and her grandma on the beach. we say our sad goodbyes after lunch and carry on to beverly beach. the fog is coming in hard and heavy and as we drive we can hardly make out the coastline. pulling into beverly with the fog on our tails we spend the rest of the day at a park, which of course involves monkey bars. after dinner scott pulls out an exciting thing he has kept hidden since we started. can't tell you the name because i have forgotten it, but once these little white guys hit the ground they pop and bang which of course leads to tremendous amounts of laughter. once the girls are in bed we sit quietly and listen wide eyed to the somewhat elevated conversation of the campers across from us, awesome.
day nine
-june 17-
happy fathers day. i continually fall more in love with this man, he brings such richness to our lives. i love to watch him interact with our girls, he is patient and kind, gentle and lovely with them. he encourages their ideas and listens well to their stories. he prays with them and teaches them of the love of Jesus. he plays with them and thinks of some of the greatest adventures to share with us. he has had to make sacrifices to be the dad that he chooses to be and for this i could not say thank you enough. he makes an effort with our family, an effort that seems to come naturally to him, although i know that it doesn't, it can't for we are sinful creatures. i am not sure of the words to write to communicate how thankful i am to stand beside him, to raise these girls together, to say that we love him.
we try to say i love you on a foggy day at beverly beach.