Symphony & Sunshine

There are many interesting and beautiful succulents here. Ben saw this today and said, “Take a picture and put in on the blog because maybe our friends in North Carolina have never seen this.”

This weekend was gorgeous, as in the embarrassment of riches variety. Blue skies, warm sunshine, shimmering ocean, wildflowers blooming along the roads, hang gliders drifting down the mountainsides and that heady fresh buzz of spring.

On Saturday we headed to the zoo where the SB Youth Symphony held an afternoon concert. Ben and Clara sat astonished watching and listening to these talented kids play. In a moment making their daddy proud, about thirty minutes in Leah asked if they were ready to go and Clara looked up at her and sternly said, “We need to hear the drums.” The best part of the event was the instrument “petting zoo” where kids come try out all sorts of instruments. The volunteers were so passionate and patient and the kids enthusiastic and well…loud. Clara’s favorite instrument was the violin while Ben’s top vote was for the drums.

On Sunday after church we headed to Summerland Beach to enjoy the sunshine. Our work schedules have been all over the place and it was the first true family day we had enjoyed together in a long time. Mark and the kids worked hard on a sand castle, proclaiming in the grand tradition of childhood, “we might be making the best sand castle ever.” Leah snuck in a solo walk on the beach and soaked in the sanity that only waves can bring. Ben asked Leah to run in the waves with him, “like we did in the old days” and Clara proudly carried and set-up the umbrella mostly by herself and tried to sneak an extra round of kettle corn.

It was a true weekend of recreation and restoration, giving us the energy, peace and strength to tackle another week and most of all, to be thankful. Our world may not be perfect and whole, but it’s filled with so many perfect and whole moments we just don’t want to miss.