Saying Goodbye

So how does one say Goodbye to something like a beach house? I knew it would happen one day, but I guess I still find it hard to believe that there are people out there with that kind of disposable income. My dad never intended to keep the house forever. It has always been his little nest egg for his retirement. Thankfully he was able to finally sell it after 3 or 4 years on the market. And what this means for our little family is that we will no longer be traveling to Florida for the entire summer. My dad still has a home on the river in Ft. Myers, but you can't swim in the river, and we don't have a boat for sailing. We could always drive to Ft. Myers beach, but it's not the same. There are so many memories in my dad's beach house.

My lil' Anni at the beach for sunset..

 It's the one place where I felt like a super mom. It's where I am in relaxed mode and can be the mother I wish I could be all year..Because we stay outside most of the time, there are no giant messes to clean, and because we don't take many toys, there aren't heaps of things to do each night, so we just visit. Sometimes we sit and read together. Sometimes we all get on our phones and /or computers and just surf and play games together. But mostly we are just together. Physically close. We started calling it "3 Time"..That time when we do something just the 3 of us..Walking on the beach at night, swimming in the dark, going to WallyMart, and this year, visiting the pound every few days.
Part of me is devastated. Part of me is joyous. This summer I prayed constantly about 2 things, me getting a transfer and my dad selling the beach house. By the end of the summer I had sort of made a deal with God,
"Help Dad sell his house, and I will give up on a job transfer!"  Well thank you to the man upstairs for hearing me and making it happen..

Allie, J, and Anna washing their feet at the beach...

I am not sure I can put into words the love that is in that house. It's the first place that Anna and I went to after coming home from Russia. It's also the first place that August flew to as well..It's where Aunt Lee met my girlz for the first time. It's where so many happy things have happened. I have NEVER liked any of the homes that I have lived in since becoming a mom, but the beach house..I have always loved it.

But there will be other summer memories. That I am sure of. It's just one tradition that I am sad to let go of..Our Thanksgiving tradition of going to NYC with my mom is living on..This will be my 10th year of going. We landed a great hotel on Mulberry Street, down-town of course with a garage on the same street. So we are all set for that week..

Dad and Anna at the beach..

Anna swimming with her wings!

And my dad left for Beirut, Lebanon yesterday. I am thrilled for him to be living his dream of work and travel. He deserves it. I can't wait to hear the details of the apple farmers in the mountains! We drove him to the airport at Dulles and I got the sickest envious feeling. It seems to be worse than ever when I travel to Dulles. I guess because that is the airport that houses Aeroflot and it's signage can be seen from the road..I feel the strangest pit in my stomach. A feeling of jealousy and of irritation. Funny I am still irritated at the really large private international school in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Knowing that they hire people with much less experience simply because they happened to be married to someone with less experience... And each time I leave Dulles, I immediately come home looking for jobs in Russia. Knowing that it pretty much a closed door..And then I am irritated again..When Dad comes home, I am making my sister go get him..I don't want to look at that sign any time soon..

AugustRose's little toes in the sand for the 1st time..

AugustRose and Anni and I when Auggie had just turned 2!

Beautiful Baby turned 2 at the beach..

School is just meh...I am having a lot of issues with a coworker. And it really colors the way I feel as I go to work each day. I have to imagine that each day will be better, even if it hasn't gotten better. And the drive into work still SUX..But what am I to do? So I just go with it, and bust my ass everyday to teach the children..And give my own children the part of me that is left over..But this year, I secretly save a little of me..My girlz deserve it.



So Paka to the beach house..You have been good to us, and we will miss you! Thank you for giving us a beautiful set of summer memories!