Thankful Thursday - OBX Highlights, Part Two

I am so thankful to be home from vacation.

The one thing I have continually told friends who ask about our trip is that this was the first truly relaxing vacation we've had since our children were born. That is such a blessing.

What else can I tell you and show you from our vacation to the Outer Banks?

Oh, so much more.

We visited the Wright Brothers Museum. This plaque was right outside the welcome center, where there were tons of pictures and replicas of letters the brothers sent to their family back home in Ohio (I believe) about their experiences.



Orville and Wilbur Wright chose the Outer Banks area because of the gusty winds (great for lift-off) and sandy dunes (great for soft landings).

They made four flights, each one a bit further than the last. These markers show where each flight ended.



And way on down at the end of the plastic mat walkway, my kids hid behind the final marker.



As we were walking up to the huge monument on the hill, we noticed the winds picking up, the temperature drop, and huge clouds form overhead. Before long, we decided to hightail it back to the truck. The fat raindrops started as the kids and I hit the parking lot. Bruce was too cool to push an all-out run, but we weren't, so we were in the truck when it really hit. Bruce made it by the hair of his chinny, chin, chin.

I realized near the end of our sprint across the field that there were signs reminding visitors to stay on the path to preserve the area. And because I am such a rule follower, that has really bugged me since. Bruce hasn't spent one more second thinking about it. He's a rule breaker. Funny how God puts two people together like that.

Bruce is also the more patient one of us. So we drove slowly around the grounds while the rain poured, waiting for it to pass so we could walk up to the monument. I would have called it a day and left.

They eventually walked up the hill while I stayed in the truck to enjoy a few minutes of quiet and the beauty of the area. I love the way the earth smells after it rains.

Here's a couple of views from on top of the monument.





And then we checked out another indoor part of the grounds. I had to share these pictures of our little astronauts.





After our visit to the museum, we met some friends for dinner at a restaurant on a pier. Bruce works with Richard, whose family vacationed at the OBX the same time as we did. Richard's wife Christina and I meet with the other wives of our husbands' coworkers at least a few times a year for dinner and a bunch of laughs. The Smiths have a son Clay's age and a daughter the same age as Spencer and Allison.

The next day we had plans to see more lighthouses, but to the south of our campground this time. And we would take a ferry ride to get to one of them.

They packed those vehicles onto the ferry. Here's our truck, sandwiched in between other cars.



Here are a few other pictures taken on the ferry ride.

Me and the kids.



And Bruce, pulling his "I'm too sexy for this shirt" pose.



And as if we hadn't already had enough of the seagulls...



A short distance from where we got off the ferry, we noticed a sign for beach access where you could drive on the beach. We'd never done that before, so when Bruce asked if we wanted to do it right then or after seeing the lighthouse, I practically shouted, "Let's go right now!"

Bruce revved the engine, pausing just long enough for me to get a picture.



We bounced around on that hilly dune like a ship on rocky seas. The kids and I were laughing our heads off. And then Bruce said, "I don't like the feel of this at all."

I picked up on an odd note in his voice, and the smile on my face was wiped off as I whipped my head to face him.

"What did you say?" I asked as I felt the truck begin to bog down.

And then we stopped. Stuck in the sand. This close to the packed sand.



Bruce gave a few valiant attempts to try to get us out of our sand trap, but then sat back and said, "I'm not sure what to do next."

Like I knew??

He got out of the truck and started letting air out of his tires. Lots of air, because he keeps something like 60-70 pounds of pressure in them.

I stayed in the truck with the kids and tried to remain calm and positive. I said, "Let's thank the Lord right now for the breeze, because it would be so hot out here right now without that breeze." So we prayed for the breeze and asked God to help daddy keep cool... in more ways than one.

Then a beach patrol guy drove by and told Bruce they are not allowed to pull anyone out of the sand. But he gave Bruce a business card for a local towing company.

We called them and were informed that it would cost somewhere from $60 to $100 to tow us.

It's amazing what kind of incentive that will provide. Bruce remembered something the guy he bought the truck had said about being stuck once. He got out and manually locked something involved with the 4WD. (I'm not technical. I don't retain that kind of info. If you are technical, you probably already know what I'm talking about. And if you aren't, then explaining it to you better won't be any more effective than it was for me.)

Hallelujah! It worked.

We called the towing company to cancel our "appointment". And then Bruce put the pedal to the metal to get us out of there. We laughed like crazy on the way back out, too, but more from delirious thankfulness that we were free... and still not any more broke than we were when we started our trek onto the beach.

Finally, we got to Ocracoke Lighthouse.



And after that, we got back on the ferry for our return trip. We found the closest gas station that had an air pump and spent nearly 45 minutes getting the air pressure back up to the recommended amounts.

Then we drove on to visit Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. And Bruce clicked this one of the kids with their cool shades.



We left with the intention to come back so Bruce could take pictures near dusk. We drove just down the road a bit to eat dinner at a fantastic local restaurant called The Captain's Table in Buxton, N.C. The setting was wonderful, the service was great, the food was fantastic, and the price was good. It was yummy, yummy, yummy!

Afterwards, we went back to Cape Hatteras, and Bruce got this beauty.



Okay, I have to stop again. Evidently, there will be a Part Three.

Have a great day.

WFW - sunset

Bruce took this picture while we were on vacation last week. But the verse has been "mine" from early on in my walk with Jesus.

It's the first verse I ever underlined in my Bible. I've needed to remind myself of it often in the ensuing years.




For more Word-Filled Wednesday pictures, go visit The 160 Acre Woods.

OBX Highlights, Part One

I just finished going through all our pictures from vacation to narrow down what to post. I have about 80 pictures I'd like to post. But I am too impatient to wait for all that to download.

Here's the first picture we took after setting up the camper. It should have been a good indication of the kind of hot, muggy and sticky week that was ahead.

A little sunscreen, anyone?



We bought the kids life jackets before our trip because we'd heard and read so much about the currents and rip tides in the Outer Banks. My kids are not proficient swimmers, and I have a bit of a fear about ocean swimming. I knew I'd be so hyper about them getting anywhere near the ocean without life jackets.

Those life jackets were great! They bought me some peace of mind and the kids some freedom. Great combination.

At one point on our last day the wind and currents were so strong, Spencer drifted pretty far out and down from where we were. I actually sent Bruce after him. I kept watching Spencer's face to see if he was panicked, but, no, that emotion was all mine. He came out of the water on his own and walked straight to where Bruce was waiting for him and said, "Sorry, dad. I didn't mean to get out there that far."

And then he ran up the beach and did the whole thing again. Four or five times. Just not as far out as the first time.



When we got tired of the beach, we'd hose off the sand and go to the pool. And when the sun got too hot and I thought I might burn, we switched to the indoor pool. It was perfect.



As a side note, although many of you know this, I don't do sunscreen. "Can't do sunscreen" would be more accurate, because of skin allergies. However, the sun was so much more intense at the beach than at home, I did try it one day. And my shoulders, back, and chest are still covered in tiny bumps that itch. About five days later.

I plan to see an allergist once the kids are all in school to see if I can get shots to be rid of these allergies. I've only had them since Clay was born, and I figure the pregnancy kicked them into high gear.

Anyway, one day, we headed back to the beach again to catch a sand castle demonstration that was given by the campground personnel.



Bruce ended up being their lackey and carrying five-gallon buckets of water from the ocean to the display area. I kept thinking, "Um, aren't you supposed to be on vacation? That looks a lot like work to me."

That same day, our kids were taunting the waves. Smack talk, actually. Stuff like, "Is that all you got?" "C'mon! Bring it on!" It cracked me up.



Before long, Spencer found a friend. He kept referring to her all week as his "other girlfriend." They played so sweet on the beach. Spencer's little friend started echoing my kids' comments, and they'd all cheer whenever a really big wave would come and rush over their heads.



Shortly after we got there, I noticed Clay sniffling. And then his eyes got swollen. So we started popping the Claritin into his mouth and dropping the Pataday into his eyes.

Doesn't he look pathetic? It physically hurt my heart to look at him.



We spent a morning visiting Currituck Beach Light Station and its grounds. It is simply gorgeous there.

Here's the lighthouse and the boathouse. Currituck lighthouse was the last major brick lighthouse built on the Outer Banks, and it was built in 1875.



And the top of the lighthouse, which we didn't walk up into. I had forgotten to bring my purse so we were three bucks shy of what it would have cost for us to go up. I think Bruce really wanted to do that, too, so I hate that we missed out on it.



Here's the clubhouse, which was closed, but I think is available to rent for special occasions. All these buildings have been restored in recent years.



Here, Bruce and the kids are reading a sign about water fowl in the area. See the yellow fishing lure in the tree? Foreshadowing. Stick with me.



Our children kept finding stuff on the grounds at Currituck.

First, Spencer found a fishing lure. (Not the same one that was in that tree. What kind of mom do you think I am? I wouldn't let my child climb a tree branch hanging over water just to retrieve an old fishing lure. I might do it myself, though, or send Bruce. But we didn't have to. As far as we can tell, Spencer's lure fell out of the sky.)



Then Clay found a string of jewels. That's what we called it anyway. Allison was soon sporting a new necklace.



Clay also found a piece of blue tile. Not sure what that was doing out there, because there were no bathrooms or kitchens around with matching tile. Still, it gave him something to hold as treasure.



Here's a family picture we set the camera timer to take for us.



And with that, I must go. The kids have private swimming lessons this week, and we have another full few days ahead. I need to get off this computer.

I'll finish posting about our vacation soon.

Have a great day!

We're Baaaack!

We're home from our wonderful vacation to North Carolina's Outer Banks.

When we pulled the camper into the driveway Saturday evening, everybody helped unload. Leftover groceries, dirty clothes, clothes that weren't worn and needed to be put back into our drawers and closets, beach toys galore, and a few extra t-shirts bought or made at the beach (our campground organized a time to tie-dye t-shirts. We loved that!).

I still have some work to do out in the camper to get it ready for our next road trip. But I'll probably never get every bit of the sand out of there.

Water hookups at the campground piped in only salty water, so we bought lots of bottled water while we were there to drink and cook with. Showering with salt water leaves you feeling... not quite clean and refreshed. (When we were finished unpacking the camper and I told the kids to shower, Clay ran up the stairs, saying, "Me first! I can't wait to take a shower at home again.")

I'm going to bring into the house all the dishes we used while there and run them through the dishwasher because Spencer, my biggest milk drinker, informed us that he hated milk at the beach. This was a mystery until Bruce confirmed that the residue from washing dishes in the salty water left a funky taste while sipping milk. Yum!

My first impression of the Outer Banks was actually one of disappointment. It's not like Myrtle Beach... or any other beach I've ever been to. Driving on the main road, alongside the strand, you can't see the vast ocean on the horizon, stretching for miles upon miles. The huge sand dunes actually hide the beach, except for a few glimpses here and there.

But once we stepped onto the beach, it was lovely. Far less crowded than Myrtle (and other beaches, too, but I have more experience with MB). Even during the holiday week.

We never had a problem finding a spot to put our things when we sat at the beach. And we never lost sight of our children because of a sea of unfamiliar faces crowding around. (This picture was taken early in our week there. It got a little more crowded by the Fourth, but still no big deal.)



It was windy... very windy. A huge advantage on a hot, muggy day. But not so good for the camper awnings, which we kept rolled up for the first few days we were there.

And because of that lack of coverage over our heads, we were unable to eat our meals outside at the beginning of the week. We tried. And scenes from Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" flashed in my mind.



Seagulls.



Probably every single one within a mile radius. Hovering over out heads and our plates of food. Before the week was over, we no longer called them seagulls but "rats with wings."

You already know what the next few days will hold for me.

Laundry.

Lots of it!

And vacuuming... to rid our house, truck and camper of as much sand as possible.

We had so much fun! And I'll post more pictures soon.

This one I took on July Fourth. It made me homesick.

Amazing Grace

Happy Fourth of July! I hope you have big plans to celebrate freedom today.

I never experience an Independence Day anymore without being thankful not only for our country's freedom, but also for my personal, spiritual freedom... bought with such a precious price.

Camp on that for a minute. (Beth Moore says that phrase a lot in her DVDs of the "Stepping Up" study. I'm borrowing.)

Moving along now.

Bruce bought me a WOW Hits 2008 CD for Christmas, and I've been skippity-do-daaing my way through all my favorite songs all this time.



But I didn't play the whole thing through for the longest time. What a loss for me.

Because the other day, I let the whole thing play and came across this gem, "Still Calls me Son." It's by John Waller, who I'd never heard of before.



I identify with these words so much. The things I've done and the places I've been...

This song just made something hit me: I'm the prodigal son (daughter, whatever). And even though I belong to Christ now, I still disgrace Him. Constantly.

God's forgiveness and mercy is amazing.

I love the part about our Father running to us, kissing our faces and putting his robe of righteousness on us.

I've played this song over and over so much the kids are getting tired of it. Still, the song just hasn't gotten old for me. I'm touched every time, and I usually end up crying.

Has anybody else out there noticed that you just cry so much more after becoming a Christian? I've wondered about that for years. I think it's just the process God has of softening our stone-cold hearts with His presence.


"'I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'"
2 Corinthians 6:18

Go Fish

I found this little bit of mindless entertainment on Fran's blog.

I piddled away several minutes of time coming up with something. But then I searched through what others had made, and I liked this one better.



Neat, huh?

Do one. It's fun.

Eye Opener

Please say a prayer today as my friend Carolyn steps up and leads "Stepping Up" for me while I'm gone. Our group meets this evening.



This study has been a time of awakening for me.

Every single moment I've spent with it, I've had my eyes opened to deep spiritual and emotional issues in my life. I'd love to share with you details, but I can't. It's deep stuff. Once I process it though, I might.

For now, I'll say it's been enlightening and cleansing. And we're only half way through! I just can't wait to see what else God reveals.

And in case you're wondering... of course I took it on vacation with me. I need this study. Right now.

Our Lord is just so good to us.


"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2 Timothy 3:16-17