We arrived, parked, got out all the stuff, hauled it several hundred yards to the spot we selected, set up chairs and the umbrella, the children ran down to the water, and then it started to rain and blow. Big rain. Lots of rain. Rain from big black clouds that looked like they were rolling in to stay. The wind blew the umbrella down the beach twice before I really, really got it situated, but it didn't bode well. A family next to us quickly gathered up all their beach paraphernalia and fled to the car, and I wondered if we should do the same. But I looked up and down the beach and no one else was going anywhere. Little groups were huddled under umbrellas and lots of people were in the water, not just my crazy kids who don't know any better, so we stayed. It rained for maybe ten minutes, but then the wind that blew it in blew it right back out, and the rest of the time we were there was sunny and hot. I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.
We played and played and played and played and played in the water and on the shore. We dug a large hole and built tall walls and a moat around it, and the tide washed it away. I dragged the children around on the boogie boards as there were no real waves to speak of, and the water was so warm you could stay in it indefinitely and never be uncomfortable. It was shallow for a long way out, so we bobbed and swam, and watched little schools of nearly clear fish race around our legs (cool and creepy simultaneously). It was wonderful to be at the beach. We all loved it!! In fact, we loved it so much we didn't want to leave. But eventually we had to, and although one of us was excessively upset at our departure, we didn't make a big deal about it because we were up late, we didn't bring enough food, we hadn't stayed adequately hydrated because we'd been in the water, not consuming it, and playing at the beach is exhausting.
An ibis in the neighbor's yard on our way out,
and a swordfish we drove by that Brandt wanted a picture of.
Rainy beach and undaunted swimmers.
Nobody seemed too concerned about the rain.
Why fight it?
I got in too.
The sun came out!
I was kneeling when I took this picture.
The fish are seriously swimming right around my body.
They were everywhere!
I wondered if there were bigger fish nearby, driving the smaller fish towards the shore.
Should I be worried?
Nope!
No worries for me or Brandt.
The kids really wanted to be boogie boarding, and I did too. Sadly, the beach did not have those sorts of waves. There were waves, but not big enough to break and give us something to ride. So I hooked their safety cords around my wrists and pulled them up and back along the beach. We talked, they told me funny stories, they said irritating things over and over and over and over and over again. And we loved, loved, loved, loved, loved being in the ocean.
On the way home, we called Kent and had him and James and Alisa meet us at Jeremiah's for another gelati. So good. We probably should have gone yesterday, too. It's cool and sweet and just what we needed after a day in the sun.
James is the Young Men's President in their ward, and this evening, there was a youth temple trip. The Fort Lauderdale Temple, dedicated four years ago, is only a short, 20 minute drive from James and Alisa's house. I had thought we might try and go to the Orlando Temple, so I had brought all our temple recommends. We didn't make it in Orlando, but Kent, Brandt, and I all went with James. Blythe stayed home with Alisa and they watched the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
The temple is beautiful. Because it is close to the Everglades, there is a sawgrass motif. The stained glass was lovely, the hardware all interesting, and the grounds were fantastic. It was just wonderful to be there, and we were delighted to be with our boy. I had hoped to see him be baptized, but they did it while I was in changing, so I missed it. But it was so nice to be there with him and Kent, and with James and his youth. One boy in particular, Adam Plumber, the bishop's son, was super nice to Brandt. He sat next to him and talked with him and was sad that we were leaving in the morning and they couldn't get together. I was able to be in with Brandt when he was confirmed, and Brandt reports the Fort Lauderdale Temple is one of his favorites.
We took Adam home, just so he could be with us longer, and on the way, he and Brandt talked in the back. Funny boys! We stopped off at a single sister's house to help move a couch. She was leaving Florida the next day and wanted it thrown away. The young men lifted the heavy things just because they could, and we dropped Adam off on our way home.
Adam and Brandt
A dynamic duo!
We got home and packed. Most of our clothes are sweaty sticky dirty because we've been in the humidity. We had to sort through shells, round up books, and make sure we had all our chargers. We packed some snacks for the plane and tried to get the children to calm down and sleep as we have an early departure. It has been so wonderful to be together in Florida, to be with James and Alisa, and to see and do new and interesting things. I'm not sure it could have been a better trip.
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