For most of my adult life the idea of a perfect vacation could be summed up with the statement “a book on the beach.” The idea of sitting quietly in my beach chair reading to the sounds of the waves crashing in is the epitome of relaxation.
However, with three boys ages 9, 6, and 4 I get to spend time on the beach during my vacation, but never in a chair reading.
These days it’s about….
riding waves
finding seashells
and building sandcastles.
It’s about…
throwing football
running as fast as we can into a wave
and burying each other two feet under sand.
It can only be described as fast, non-stop and exhausting.
That’s okay though, because one day I’ll be sitting in a chair reading on the beach, enjoying the quiet and pristine views. I’ll look up to see another family with little boys playing on the beach and I’ll instantly be overwhelmed with the incredible memories from the past and willing to give up my great book and tranquil peace for one more crazy day on the beach.
That picture says it all. Mission accomplished!
It’s all about those memories Diane!
This looks like a perfect vacation to me!!!
Pete, You are touching future generations through these moments with your boys today!
Thanks Mike!
Pete, that is the sweetest picture ever!! Seriously, nothing beats a vacation at the beach and especially with kids, and those are moments down the road that you’ll be wishing you could get back. You have all the time in the world to read books, right? HA!
Love the picture! Brought tears to my eyes, knowing you are so right about one day seeing another family on the beach and remembering your boys. I’m glad you are soaking in these days.
that pic of your boys is priceless!!! your post got me straight in the heart…so very true!! the moments are fleeting…we have to hold on to them while we still have them…kids aren’t kids for long! thanks for the sweet reminder! im gonna remember this tonight when i get home from work and hold my soon to be 2 yr. old boy!!
It goes by so stinking fast Stefanie!
It never ceases to amaze me how you can capture the beauty of parenting.
Our vacation starts this weekend and I cannot wait to hand out with my 5 year old.
Hope you guys have a blast bro!
Who could ask for anything more!
what a great shot!
Emjoy those boys while you can. They grow up all too fast; and you can loll on the beach when you are a septuagenarian. And wonder how the ‘boys’ are doing!
pete, i realize i don’t know you at all. but i never would have pegged you as a book guy on the beach. i figured you’d be wanting to surf and play football and build sandcastles. i mean i realize you DO want to do those things for your boys; it’s just i’d have guessed you wanted that for you even.
the thought of me at the beach with a book sounds good for about the first 10 minutes. then i’m bored…
yes. getting into the water is the BEST way to spend time in the beach!
Set your life time more easy get the mortgage loans and all you require.
That is an absolutely AWESOME pic!
I’m reminded of 2 photos of my brothers & I as teenagers. It was the weekend of my oldest brother’s Marine graduation in San Diego & on his day off we all went to the beach. The first picture is of us all running towards the ocean with our clothes on. The second is of all three of us scrambling away from a large wave–soaked & laughing our heads off. Being that we were a family that wasn’t close at the time, I cherish being able to look back on that day & remember the joy we all shared in each other’s company.
Looking forward to family vacations someday!! (Welcome back Pete!)
What a fabulous picture! One of the great things about the beach for us is that going back now with our mostly grown up children takes us all back to those happy vacations from their childhood. We all feel warm and content…there is something about the beach that is just magical in terms of family bonding.
I’m really looking forward to those days.
You are blessed to have three handsome little guys to spend time with on the beach. It must be fun building sandcastles with them!
Pete, My oldest will be 14 this summer and i’m slightly freaked out that so much of our memories are gone. I mean things are different now. Its a different kind of fun. Enjoy every last minute. We’ll sleep and read and be relaxed in a few short years.
Love the pic of the boys!!!
We just returned from a beach trip with our very young boys (4,3, and 1) and I had the same amazing thoughts. It for but a blink that we will be hauling sand shovels instead of novels and it is worth every moment.
This is so true! Thanks for the reminder of embracing every season of our life and in our kids’ lives.
It’s wonderful that you, a pastor, truly “gets it.” So many pastors put the church flock before their family flock, much to their chagrin later in life.
Blessings to you and your family!
Well Greg to be honest I fight the balance more often than I would like to admit. I love what I do so I have to be VERY careful along the way.
ohhhh, I love this picture… you are right…life is all about paying attention to the season we are in and walking out the purpose God has for us now…
Can’t help but laugh about reading a book on the beach…we’ve entered a new season in life with adult children and vacations for just the two of us…took your book “Plan B” on our last trip and it didn’t even get cracked open…it would be wonderful though to have a few days of complete relaxation to read, dream and worship His creation. Maybe next time
I would love to read a book on the beach but I hope that I am as blessed as you one day so that I won’t be able to.
Me too David!
We live at the beach (perks of being a Coast Guard family) and I can’t tell you the number of times an older man or woman has come up to me on the beach and told me to enjoy these days or that seeing my kids playing reminded them of their children. It is always a great reminder to stop and appreciate these crazy days because they go too fast.
I always love reading your posts, Pete. You put things in such perspective. Thank you for the sweet reminder that I need to do this with my 3 girls…almost the same ages as yours…11, 8 & 4. Over the years, we’ve always gone to the beach with almost all of Kevin’s family – therefore, not getting to spend quality time with our girls. This year, just the 5 of us are going to Fripp Island, SC. I’m really looking forward to it because it will just be us… and we’ll have no excuse not to make lasting memories with them. See you when you get back!
Love it Pete! Looks like you guys had a great time. A very wise man once told me to take the words “I can’t wait until” out of my vocabulary. He was so right, because they grow up so fast. We have to enjoy every minute.
Love that pic of your boys! They are just glowing with joy!!
Good for you Pete. Hope the family is sunburned, salty, and gloriously exhausted! Life is good.
Pete, you are so wise! John and I are at the beach this week doing just what you said, sitting in some chairs, reading, enjoying the sound of the waves and are eyes catch every little girl out there with their sand bucket. Then tears catch our eyes as we glance at each other but a deep joy is felt with every memory. This trip started without Lauryn for the first time ever and we know it is the beginning of a new season.
That picture of your boys is priceless—as is your blog post. Treasure these times. You’ll be okay sitting in the chair with a book and quiet, if you continue to treasure these moments as you are so obviously doing.
Because you will get calls from them from the beach breathlessly saying, “Dad, you won’t believe the sunset tonight here on the other side of the world. Wish you were here.”
And you will click the phone off and smile inside and out. Because they wouldn’t have taken that magical time to call — if you had not taken time to be with them today.
Some of our girls most treasured memories translate into the most precious back porch conversations now, and they are those beach moments. They are etched into the hourglass of all our lives. And that, is what makes life worth living.
Have fun!!
Pete,
Great post you are building precious memories with your sons that will translate into memories they build with their kids. Don’t think it stop with your kids wait until you have grand kids. As PK this very important for them in the long run keep your boys first and they turn out to be a fine dad like yourself. I don’t have little one around so I go to the beach and read Plan B.
Keep up the great work.
Your post made me laugh. Having been back from the beach barely 48 hours, I had thought my trip (just me & my daughter) would allow for quiet reading (your book, no less). Not so much. But I, too, treasured all the pool time, walks (er, runs) on the beach, shelling and just falling in love with my daughter all over again. Feeling blessed.
Looks like you’re all having a great vacation!
Amen. I couldn’t agree more.