A Week at the Beach

I had such a hard time leaving EFY this summer and all my newly-made friends that I decided to spoil myself and buy me a plane ticket back to the East to spend more time with them. We were able to stay the week in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina at Laura's family's beach house. Boy, was that an adventure! The beach house had three bedrooms and at one point we had 26 people crammed in finding floor space to sleep on. I felt a little like we were living in a frat house only we separated boys and girls and have much higher standards. :)

We had so much fun swimming in the ocean, relaxing on the beach, watching the Olympics, visiting a lighthouse, going mini golfing, and the list goes on and on. I have to say that I fell in love with the beach for the first time in my life. I have never been opposed to beaches but they have not been my top choice of a vacation spot. I am really not one to love hanging out in my bathing suit...really no one needs to see that...or laying out lazily in the sun...my skin and the sun are not great friends...but I LOVED the entire week. Swimming in the ocean, battling the waves, was a great adventure. My only complaint is the nasty salt that somehow found its way to my mouth and the sand that would sneak into crevices of my bathing suit I didn't know existed. I also found great love in sitting on the porch of the beach house and reading. Many times during the week I snuck away from everyone and enjoyed some alone time. (I also wouldn't complain when someone would come join me...I enjoyed some awesome conversations on the porch.) Some evenings we enjoyed going back to the beach and walking in the cool sand. I love the feel of sand beneath my toes. And I got to try my first taste of lobster. I have to say that I enjoyed it, which did surprise me.

I am sure that my new found love of the beach also had part in the people that I was able to enjoy it with. I feel fortunate that I was able to go back and just play with such amazing people who have had a profound influence in my life. I wish the week could have lasted longer but honestly, the time was the closure I needed to come back to reality and move on. I left feeling sad yet excited to move forward with my new adventures of this upcoming year. It's been so long since I have spoiled myself with a vacation that I forgot how perfect and needed they can be. Thanks to all who were a part of such a memorable week!