Fun at the Beach

Tom 

The family

     I'm slowly reentering ordinary time after the week at the beach. It was an amazing introduction to Tom's family. They are a constellation of stars, with some supernovas thrown in for good measure, and it was such fun to get to know them.  We had amazing food cooked by a different group each night. Lots of grilling. Buena played guitar Friday night, and she and Dina sang for us. Such talent!
     Tom's family has done this group vacation every year for a long time. It's a great way to maintain family bonds.

Photos by Buena Peacock Henry

The beach!

     It has been a wonderful few days at the beach in Corolla, NC. Tom's family does these mass vacations every year, and this year we're in a 9-bedroom, 9.5 bath beach house accessible only by 4WD over the sand. The weather has been good and wild ponies wander the area. I have some good photos but have to figure out how to incorporate them into the blog. Taking turns cooking -- the food is terrific. I've had long walks on the beach every day when the sun is low in the sky. We're here till Saturday. Such fun!

"So Much Happiness"

     That is the title of a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye, and it describes how I feel to a T. Tom and I plan to marry in December, when friends and relatives from far and near can fit us into their holiday plans and we won't interfere with school and work. I have heard that these days weddings take a year or more of advance planning, but we want our life together to start as soon as possible, so we're compressing the timeline. Makes the planning a bit of a bobsled ride!
     Saturday I will have the opportunity to spend a week with his family in a large beach house on the Outer Banks. Ah, the beach, my favorite of all places. Well, maybe not better than Paris, but certainly equal. They each have their own charms. I'm looking forward to this with great anticipation.
     Google "So Much Happiness." It's good to remind ourselves that happiness floats.
 

Life is Full of Surprises

     The days since I returned from my sister's surgery have been a whirlwind of activity, and a fireworks of surprises. The day I got home, my ballroom dancing partner of over a year asked me to marry him — and I said yes! Such an unexpected thing, and so filled with joyous possibility. Tom is a wonderful human being, a man of intelligence and humor and joie de vivre. A spacecraft designer, actually. Retired. And a terrific dancer, especially swing dancing, which I have never done in my life before now. We never run out of things to talk about. He loves learning and traveling.
     So at this point I find myself planning a wedding. Imagine! I could never have predicted it. But life has proven time and again to be filled with blessings large and small. I am so grateful. One more reason to say Thanks be to God.