We are back from our beach trip. I was not ready to come home this time. I missed my dogs (we took one with us) and I missed the horses and other critters but not enough yet to be pining to come back. Maybe that would have taken another few days.

I am typically a home body. I am not a world traveler – I dislike planes- I dislike strange places until I get used to them – sometimes I never do. There are places I want to see but some of them require plane flight and I am just not that into being in a small tube in the sky. If i do fly it will be under the influence of some relaxation drug. Or I will have to be in first class…like that will happen! Kevin and I would like to take an RV trip across the country. To me being in an RV is like taking your home with you to strange places. There is something comforting to me in that.  Home is where its at to me. But on this beach trip I was sad to leave – why- bc I had to leave the ocean. So at some point I think home and the ocean will have to be one in the same.

This time at the beach I fell in love with a new community within Bethany Beach- Middlesex Beach. It sits just south of Sea Colony and North of South Bethany.  It is a private beach limited to residents and guests. There are homes on the oceanside and on the other side of the road from the ocean. Many homes are large but inviting. They say big family gatherings to me.  We were fortunate to be just yards from the beach and boy do you get spoiled hearing the waves crashing on the shore at night. And there was the matter of the shower- the beautiful travertine tiled rain head shower- that was in house number 2 that we stayed in. There were 4 rain head showers in the house- they made showering and event. I seriously miss that shower and i must have one of these showers in my future home!

Middlesex is one of those places that is like its own little town. I am not sure how many residents live there year-round but I think there are a number of them. Many homes are rentals too which makes those of us who long to have a beach home close to the waves be able to enjoy some time in this neat community.  All the security guards were nice- they treated my dog Pierce with many goodies.  He is very shy and they were really trying to win him over.   We talked books and dogs along with other topics. We really felt welcomed there.

My friend Annie lives in Middlesex and the entire community knows her (I think most of Bethany knows her bc she is the most friendly person you could meet – and fun!) I had not seen Annie in years and years and it was like no time went by in our reconnecting.  Annie was the one instrumental in our having such a nice beach time as her agency provided us with the 2 homes we stayed in.  If you are planning a trip to the Bethany Beach area or are considering buying a home give her agency a call. I owe her this plug bc she really made our trip really great! Plus you will just like her!

I think coming home meant having to deal with things I was trying to put off or not deal with..some health issues which are getting on my last nerve…selling our other home..and of course carting kids to all of their activities. The chauffeur service is back in form just 2 days after being home! Being at the beach seems far better to me!

I am very glad to be back with all the dogs- dogs are my solace and really just part of me and my being.  It is weird to some but to some of you dog people out there who get it.  If I did not have dogs I would not be complete! So it is good being all together again.  We do plan on getting back to the beach again soon. Maybe August but definitely September. My dad has also arranged for us to come to see him Florida in December…that will be a drive but will be nice to be there for the holiday.

Kevin and I know we want to settle in some beach community somewhere in the near future. We have discussed going further south. But we both have such comfort in Bethany- didn’t I say we are home bodies?  So this week we thought maybe being in Bethany (and boarding the horses nearby if they are still with us) might be a good choice. And in the deep winter we could spend a month in another southern beach location. I like the sound of that!

God puts things on our hearts. I have had many things on my heart.  I had a farm on my heart, writing on my heart, adoption on my heart, photography on my heart and I have the beach on my heart. A lot of those things that were on my heart I have done or I do right now. I think the things on our hearts are the things we will fight to get. Or maybe they are things that when we have them or do them we feel more complete. Those things on our hearts are gifts I think.  After the year we have had I know more than ever that life is short and planning for the future is important but living life today is the only sure thing we have.  I have mentioned in another post that when you are faced with a situation that makes you realize life is short and very precious that you shrink your timeline for doing things you once said you wanted to do in the future.  I want to make sure I am enjoying life now- not in ten years when we have this or that..I can have long range plans but the ones that mean so much to me – like the beach- they need to be part of my now. Maybe not living there yet but certainly spending more time there.

So I hope that the beach is within our reach and we will live there one day. In the meantime I am thinking wouldn’t it be nice to get there every 6-8 weeks? Well one can dream:) I for one know that dreams of the heart can come true…

Thanks for reading…