If you can't beat 'em... try it

I had a hard time deciding on the right title for this blog. Several of my options were "Him", "The hardest working man I know", "Vacation" were just a few. But when it came right down to it, this one made the cut.

So Patrick and I just got back from a week of wonderfulness in Florida. Time at the beach, splashing in the ocean, eating, riding bikes, fishing and eating some more! It was glorious. Because of his wild work schedule and my previous time out of steady work, we really hadn't had a vacation in about two years just us. This I discovered was probably a good thing because I will follow that boy anywhere and usually the places we go aren't my first choice.

This trip Patrick had me:
1. Bay fishing - which was super fun since the guide was baiting our hooks and I didn't have to touch! Afterwards we took the freshly filleted fish to a restaurant where they cooked them right up for us! I have decided this is part of the human experience and now I totally get fishing. The beautiful water, catching your dinner, cooking and eating it when it's so fresh. Such a great experience I would've never had on my own.

2. Watching thunderstorms at night on the beach - So the night of Patrick's birthday we left a concert early and decided to head to the beach. I am usually terrified to be near the ocean at night - what if a big shark comes up, bites me and drags me in???!!! But I went and off to the west (or something like that) was this giant thunderhead. We saw a lightening show that put the fourth of July fireworks to shame. It was so far away that we really couldn't hear too much thunder but were occasionally blinded... by the light! heehee We even found a big sand alligator some kids made and had a built in beach recliner! Another amazing experience.

3. The Ocean - my giant fear of the ocean probably has something to do with my complete fascination with Shark Week. I hate being too far out, I hate having anything swim past me and don't even think about telling me there's a fish near by - I'm out! But of course Patrick ventures way farther out into the water so off I go, bobbing along begging him to stop. Those waves would come and he'd pull me out of the way, lift me and occasionally FORGET and I'd get dunked! But it was great and that laugh and smile I'd get dunked everyday for! He even let me borrow his snorkeling mask when I felt brave enough to look under the water (big news here - no sharks!)

4. Dolphins and early mornings - no one told me the sun comes up at 5 am at the beach. If they did I forgot or blocked it out. But early bird Patrick was ready to get up and get to the water by 6:45 several mornings we were there. I'm so glad we went because it was beautiful and one morning four dolphins swam by just a 100 feet away! Such beautiful creatures!

I told Patrick at the beginning of our trip that is was cool that I love to admire God's creation but he loves to experience it. I suspect this had something to do with all of the new activities I had to be a part of but I'm so glad and grateful for all of it. We both felt such happiness to be with each other and in God's beautiful creation, to think he loves me, us was overwhelming.

Psalm 8:3-4
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

Class of 2018

Today Angel (front, center, two tier black skirt), my little sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters, was recognized at an awards assembly (remember those??) at her elementary school in South Dallas - Joseph J. Rhoads. See all those little faces? (Disregard the awfulness of my camera from far away.) That's our future class of 2018, man I felt OLD. The ones who received a "commendable" on TAKS (aka - really good) also received a placard with their name, class year and current college choice. While Angel's said *cough cough* we're still working on her, there were quite a few TAMU mentions! It had something to do with the lady in the white shirt (far right) but I whooped none the less.

They bolted upright when the pledge of allegiance began without the 8 year old leading it telling anyone and even knew the one for Texas which they said right before a 2 minute memorization of a school motto ending with "I have aspirations for myself!" or something like that! So despite the bad rap kids get these days and the bad rap DISD gets, those teachers work hard and are good role models and help kids. One student (first on the left below) scored a PERFECT score on reading, writing and composition sections... again the unmentionable school of choice but whatever, she rocked that test!

I felt really uplifted when I left the program, a brilliant sunset painting of Angel's in my hands. Congrats class of 2018, as one teacher said, "I may not be here to see it, but somebody tell me when you get up there!" I just hope I can change her mind about colleges... there's still time.