Day 620 -- Albion Beach

I'm sure many of you went to the lake today.  But I can say with relative certainty that you didn't get the chance to experience Albion Beach on this beautiful, sunny Labor Day -- the last official day of summer...at least for us teachers. 

I know this because my kids, my dad, my husband and I were the only ones there.  For hours.

Albion Beach was created last year as the city's try at having a water feature for the community.  It was well-intentioned, but last year for the better part of the summer it served more as a dirty, goose-poop infested, algae-covered cess-pool than anything else. 

That was last year.  This year, the city has managed to clean up the algae and get rid of the geese.  It still kind of smelled like we were swimming in the WHS biology pond, but the water was refreshing and the sand/dirt still packed into castles. 

I knew that any lake we visited would most likely be crazy with  people today, so we didn't go for it.  The kids really wanted to go swimming, though, and when Breslin suggested Albion Beach, a mere 10 minute walk from our house, I thought, "Why not?" 

We loaded up beach toys, bubbles, towels, snacks, and AJ into the wagon.  10 minutes later, we were swimming.



I knew today would be rough.  I'm not ready to go back to school.  I'm not.  I'm not, I'm not, I'm not.  But, I know that God will give me the strength to do what He needs me to do in that classroom tomorrow, to be the teacher he desires me to be.

Anyway, I feel like God took a really simple trip to the beach -- albeit slightly smelly -- to show me that life won't end just because I'm going back to school.  Life can be lived in these moments -- ones that don't require the days on end without obligation that summer blessedly brings.  In fact, I'm so grateful to look back on the summer and see that some of my favorite moments are the simplest ones: watching my kids dance to Act III at the falls, swimming at Albion Beach,  playing Candyland, blowing bubbles.  These moments were magical, and when I am truly honest about it, there is no valid reason they couldn't be equally as likely to happen in the fall, winter, or spring.

So, I'm thankful for yet another beautiful day out with my beautiful family, and for God's reminder that through everything, He's here with me -- no matter what.

Thank God for Albion Beach!

God, thank you for our trip today and for the fun we had together.  Thank you for making it easy to find something to be thankful for every day.  Please bless this school year and be with our family and we transition into the business this time of year always brings.  Help it to bring us even closer.  In your name, Amen.

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