We just returned from a wonderful week of sun, fun, sand, waves, great food, and even a little fishing at Pawley's. We stayed with friends of the family, their son, her parents, and a friend of my dad's from med school and his wife. We were blessed with incredibly good weather--it rained the day we got there a little, which was fine because we had to go to the grocery, etc and then the day before we left. The storm on Saturday was very big--right over our heads with thunder and lightening to shake the house! Lightening even stuck the ocean and we saw some waterspouts/water tornados not too far out. It was weird!
Pawley's is a special place for Chris and I, as 4 years ago on the 4th of July we got engaged there! We stay in the same house each time we go so Dolphin View will always have a special place in our story together! We watched the annual PI 4th of July parade, which is always fun to see the floats people come up with! Our big adventure this year was deep-sea fishing. Mom and Laura were dying to go fishing, and Chris wanted to go so I figured I should go as well. (Chris had just found out his teaching job with Knox County was cut, so I needed to be as supportive as I could!) We left for Murel's Inlet about 6:30 and got on a big boat with alot of other people, went about an hour out into the ocean, and fished for awhile. I got bored/tired of it but Mom and Laura enjoyed it! We didn't catch anything worth eating, there is a limit on the size the fish must be in order for them to be captured and taken home.
Since I am an early riser, I was, of course, awake and up for almost every sunrise! I thought maybe I could sleep in since it was vacation, but my brain never takes a rest! I was blessed to see beautiful sunrises, each different in their own way. It is very peaceful to be awake that early in the morning and to take in God's beauty He has created---it was nice and quiet and I loved watching the pelicans look for breakfast too! Chris even was up for one sunrise (the fishing day!) so I got his picture to document!Perhaps one of my favorite traditions is our Jimmy Buffett Cookout Night--we (dad) dig a big hole in the sand and make a charcoal grill. We have "sand-burgers" and hot-dogs, eat out on the beach, and just hang out! We make Smores too---soo yummy! This is especially my Dad's favorite night--he likes to do the work and grill! We planned it just right this year with the tides--high tide covered our grilling area about 10 minutes after we finished the Smores!
On another note, I was looking at old pictures before we left for the beach and came across some of me as a child (age 3-ish) in my lifeguard chair and on the beach at pawleys--when the schmid family went as a whole and stayed at the Schooler Shack. That house is still there today and when we walked by it it was weird/neat to think how 22 years ago I was there, in front of that house, with my Gran and G-Daddy and the rest of the family, vacationing and playing. I still remember so much about those vacations when I was little--Gran would read to me Mary Poppins when my parents would go out for the night, etc. Pawleys will always be a vital part of my life, my family, my future, and my sanity! You can see more pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/govolsrach
