Cape May

This summer Sid and I had the incredible opportunity to go to the beach with two of the teens from our youth group. The guys invited to go with them to Cape May, NJ and spend a long weekend at the beach house of one of their families. We had such a wonderful and relaxing weekend.

I love the beach. I mean really love it. I don't have to get in the water, although I do enjoy that. I just love to hear it. And marvel at the beauty and vastness of God's creation. I love to sit and feel the breeze and hear the waves. I love to look as far as I can see and see... more ocean.

I had never been to Cape May before and it is a quaint tourist town at the southern tip of New Jersey. It has very cool old Victorian style houses. And a town center that is nothing but cutesy shop after restaurant after cutesy shop. I love it!

Coming back up from the water.

Stella and Sid also had a great time. Stella was fascinated and terrified of the water. She loved, sometimes, to get her feet wet, and sometimes not so much. One evening Stella and I got to take a walk on the shore, just the two of us. We took a bucket to collect some shells. We couldn't leave the beach until she had thrown (almost) all of them back in. I was able to rescue a few of them (and the quarter she found).

The shells I managed to save

The guys were/are so good with Stella, and Bruce. And Stella loves them. They were patient, and loving. We climed to the top of the lighthouse one afternoon, and Stella walked about 20 of the steps up and then was carried the rest of the way, they would take her to the edge of the water and hold her hands and let her look, they showed her rocks and jellyfish and all kinds of things and she reveled in the attention.

Looking at a washed up Jellyfish.

Bruce was a champ. He spent the first day on the beach eating. For about two hours straight. The second day we were on the beach he slept. It was wonderful. And he looked so cute in his little bathing suit that was two sizes too big!

Sleeping away in his tent on the beach!

We are so grateful that we got to go and not think about anything but where to go for dinner, and what time was bedtime. It was a wonderful vacation. We'll never forget it.

Brown Butterfly Outfit

In early July I sat down to make Stella some new pajamas. They turned out really cute. I love them. They have a few flaws, but for my first real self drafted "pattern" I'm pretty pleased with them. I made the shorts and then realized I had enough fabric left for a top. It has pleats in it, a first for me. I'm very proud of them, even if they are a little off center! The straps come together in the back, meeting in the middle. I have decided that they are too cute for PJ's and can be worn as an outfit. Not that she has worn it yet.

(Please ignore the angry face, she was done with trying them on and done with having her picture taken!)

Playing Catch-up

Stella having fun in Cape May

So, it's been well over a month since I posted. Ooops. But I've been busy. In that month I have been to New Jersey for four days, Florida for 10, AND packed and moved.

Not that any of that should have stopped me from blogging. There's plenty to write about. Like going to NJ for 4 days and FL for 10. Like moving, and packing, and getting our (Stella's) first tricycle. Like the cute little outfit that I made Stella and haven't had the guts to put her in yet. Like Bruce's first smiles! Those are all posts "coming soon."

We are also looking for churches, or just... work, for Sid. And trying to figure out what to do about a Masters program and how that will look. There are some developments on that front (school, not church). But there is no decision made yet so I'm not quite ready to share.

We have moved in with my wonderfully loving and gracious parents. It's a great thing, but it does take some getting used to. I feel like I'm very busy, but I'm not busy at all. It's probably not a good thing. It will get better as the school year starts and there is more of a routine to follow.

I will be more involved in my Bible Study this year. And I am looking forward to it. But I'm also a little nervous about it. I know that God will enable me to do what I need to, since he has called me. I'm very excited to be studying Isaiah this year.

Baby Bruce with his very proud Papa Bruce