Appreciative

In 2005, my husband took a job with a national company. This business has offices located across the United States. When John accepted the job, he was informed that he would be traveling often and that he could possibly be relocated to the east coast. I found the idea of relocating very exciting. I was desperate for change. I didn't want to live my entire life in the same podunk town in Kentucky. For as far back as anyone can remember, my family has always lived in Kentucky. My grandmother, mother, aunts, uncles, brothers, and cousins all currently live in Kentucky (in the same town even). And they always will.

In the Fall of 2005, John's company approached him about moving to New Jersey. We JUMPED at the chance. They told him in October, and by January we were already living in New Jersey. We made the move when I was 20 weeks pregnant. And although my family was a little bitter about the whole thing, I was elated. We were less than an hour from the beach! Twenty minutes from Philadelphia! Forty-five minutes from Atlantic City! An hour and half from New York! WOW!

I was pregnant when we arrived, so we didn't really go anywhere because I was fat and tired and cranky. We did go to the beach a few times right before Porgie was born, but it was still too cold to swim. After she was born in June, we didn't go back to the beach for an entire year. The next summer I had a 1 year old, and I was 20 weeks pregnant with Izzy. We went to the ocean a few times, but after I fell in the ocean with my baby girl, I decided that a clumsy pregnant woman should definitely NOT be romping around in the ocean. The next summer, Izzy was only 8 months old, and I wasn't really too keen on lugging my immobile baby around the beach for hours on end.

But this year? OH MY GOD, the beach is soooooo fun. My kids love it. I love it. John loves it. Today was the best. We headed down to the beach after nap time. We left at 3:00, arrived at 3:50, and were playing in the ocean by 4:00. Porgie loved running into the ocean, splashing and kicking her feet. Izzy loved digging in the sand and hunting for seashells. And mommy loved watching her babies have fun. John and I took turns going out into the ocean to swim. After 2 1/2 hours of fun, we decided to go get some pizza for dinner. And then we drove home. We got back around 7:30 and the kids were asleep in their own beds by 8:30. AMAZING!

Today I am feeling grateful for my simple little life here in New Jersey. Life is good friends.