TruMama

Rainbow of mine arched

above, brighter and brighter

our island of peace

(That’s you and I way down the beach. Looks like the rainbow is coming out of our head.)

Going for a boat ride can be a bit tricky. You love, love, love the island. You love anywhere we stop to explore, but you are not fond of the ride to get there. You are active. Engaged in life. Enveloped in all you do. So, to just ride…hmmm.

Lilu, on the other hand, loves every second of the outing.

You and her sit at the front of the boat and tell Daddy to go fast.

You eat crackers.

You make faces and laugh to pass the time. How silly can you get?

And for just a second, you dangle your feet off the front with Daddy. I think the fact that it scares me to death and it’s against the law, makes you like it all the better.

You check out the shrimp boat with it’s birds in delight.

If we still aren’t there, after all of that…

Finally, the moment has arrived. What you love to do most of all.

Cannonball!

And then, after lots of jumping, the ride back. The process starts all over again.

No matter what, you have a knack for finding fun.

I love you too much!

A great trip has the perfect combination of new mixed with familiarity.

We rolled into Virginia, the hills that is. Going to visit Grandma. (You love her stairs!)

This time in the summer. The first time was in the winter.

This Virginia was entirely different.

This Virginia was bright and polished. Heavy with heat.

You visited Ella Grace and Addy’s house for the first time.

You swam and dove off a diving board for the first time.

You searched the cabinets for snacks for a picnic in the playhouse. Shot water guns from the fort. Crafted swords from wrapping paper tubes. And participated in a dance contest to the song, “Happy”. (Which conveniently sums up our visit to their house in one word.)

We had a good ole family pool party. You swam and clowned around with Bryce.

I chatted with the new beautiful Baby Ella.

This Virginia was alive and lush. Surrounding us in green.

You trapped your first frog on Grandma’s porch. They were our summertime carolers outside the screen door. Singing of lazy days and warm nights.

You swam with your first snake in the pool. (You later told me, “There’s a lot of creatures at Grandma’s house.”)

You even drove your first tractor with Uncle Ted.

This Virginia was full of surprises. Some delightful. Some scary. But all for you.

This Virginia was my original home. This is where I grew up until one day somewhere else tugged on my heart.

That would be South Carolina.

From mountains to beach. From home to home.

Where will your heart take you?