The Fall in Pictures, Part 1: September's OBX

Merry Christmas! 'Tis the season for a beach post.
We never did post pics from our Corolla adventure in September (sorry, Dad!)  Hope it's better late than never. We went down and spent a week at Mom and Sean's rental beach house when the off-season hit. The weather was still nice, the house was wonderful, and the time with them, Pop-pop (my mom's dad), and the Trabandts was priceless.

Here's my helper, just turned 2, helping pack up all the foodstuffs

 And I think this was our first glorious day on the beach. Pretty great.

      

Anna made it out for a little while, though much of its glory was lost on her. 

 Cousin time. A classic photo series:

Anna chillin with Uncle Scott

The week was filled with many other sweet little moments...

Our 2nd cousins, Beverlie and Dwight of Nags Head, came by for a visit. What a treat! I wish I had more photos to show from that time, but here's a fun one that Bev took for us:

More beach pics:

 Peter scored a seat on a lifeguard's ATV...And here with 2 of his favorite things: Daddy and a cookie.
It was a good day.

I have regrettably few pictures from this, but one of the main highlights was getting together with my Aunt, cousins, and their kids. Such fun! Peter loved playing with the big kids.

Our last full day, we ventured up to Currituck Lighthouse and Wildlife Sanctuary. 

 

My sweet big boy

That night before dinner, Anna and I went for a walk on the beach. It was one of my favorite moments of the week in it's serenity, beauty, and grandeur; in the quiet time talking to my little girl and pouring out my heart to my God; of songs of worship and feeling wonderfully small in adoration of Him who created all of this by the fiat of his power--and yet is nearer than my breath. This was the only picture I took on that walk. 

Our last day (we were leaving that evening), it rained. Bummer--no final beach day, loading the car in the rain, wishing we'd quit while we were ahead and left the night before. But this final rainy afternoon jaunt redeemed it for me: 

 My boy and I played and laughed and evaluated seaweed and tire tracks and we ran and ran. We got sandy and salty and slowly drenched by the misty rain. We had big sweet fun, and my heart was refreshed by that freeing and happy state of having nothing else in the world I needed to do except goof around with my son and enjoy being a mom.  I'd love to say that perspective carried over and defined my Fall. It didn't. Life is busy and my motherhood is a work in progress. And yet I am always grateful to be reminded of the importance (and reward) of slowing down and enjoying the amazing gifts and lives that fill mine.