what a day

Okay, it's Friday night and yes, I posted this morning, but today's events need to be shared. The original plan for today was to relax in the morning then make our way down to the beach and enjoy our final day at the beach. That's exactly how it all began. The day was nice and warm with almost no wind. We walked on the beach, we played in the surf, we ate a snack, we looked for and found some seashells and shark teeth. Then we decided to build in the sand. The girls worked on some sandcastles while I started working on my annual sand sea turtle. That's when things changed. As I was digging in the sand I looked up and saw a little boy walking by along the edge of the beach nearest to the dunes. I thought nothing of it because there were many people around. About ten minutes later I looked up again and the same little boy was walking by again going in the opposite direction, crying. I knew he was lost. I got up to catch up to him to see if I could help or call his mom on the phone or the police but as I got closer he started running toward some people so I thought he found his family. I watched him to see, but then I realized he was still alone. Tim and I took off after him, caught up to him and asked him if he was lost. He was. He didn't know the name of the condo he was staying in, he didn't know his parents cell phone number, he didn't know. He was little, maybe five. We took him with us back to our spot on the beach, another mom near our stuff was on the phone with police when we got back. The police talked to the boy and then we waited for his mom to come. She was already with the police fearing that he had been abducted and so grateful that he had been found. At that moment the sky opened up and poured down a torrential downpour. We waited under our tent and watched as the lights of the police truck came closer and closer. Then finally the truck stopped, his mom jumped out, and was completely relieved. The boy, Jason, had walked about a mile from where his family was staying. A mile! He must have passed hundreds of people on the beach as he searched for his family. Hundreds. I am so thankful that he was protected while he was alone and vulnerable to abduction or worse. Needless to say, I kept an even closer watch over my girls for the rest of the day, and so did the parents near us on the beach. Our neighbors this week have 3 kids, 10, 8, and 7. The seven year old is a girl and very sweet. My girls played with her for the rest of the afternoon. I chatted with the parents as we stood in the pouring rain, yes it kept raining, while we watched the kids playing in the surf. They are homeschoolers, too. The kids had so much fun and called each other BBF...best beach friends. I talked with the mom and we thought it would be fun for the the kids to be pen pals. They are from Georgia and because they became fast friends it was hard to say goodbye when it was time to leave the beach. While we were preparing for dinner the girls made cards for their new friend and I added a note with our address and we slipped it under their door when they were out for dinner. When we finished dinner in the condo the doorbell rang and the new friend had spent some time making cards and pictures for my girls and her mom added a note with their address. It was all very exciting. They can't wait to send their first letter to Georgia.
So the rest of the night included one last load of laundry so I don't have to wash anything when we get home, packing up all of our things, showering, waiting for the rain to stop, and relaxing while reliving today's events and sharing them with you. Now I need to go. Tomorrow is going to be a long day and I need to get some sleep.
Keep an eye on your kids. Give them some extra hugs and kisses. Make sure they know your cell number.
xo ANG