I’m not sure there was much sleep.  Jenn and Dave generously gave their bedroom to John, the little girls, and I.  Johanna and Katriel slept in their massive walk-in-closet.  The boys, along with Andrew, slept sprawled on the living room floor.  The girls took over Ella’s room.  Eight people do not seamlessly blend into a homestead.  At least not these 8 people. 

We jumped into breakfast before 7 A.M.  There is just so much to be said and done together the kids were too excited to waste time in bed. 

Around 12 or so we divided into two vehicles and set out for adventure.  Jenn wedged herself between Johanna and Katriel and loved on them extravagantly.  As I sat up front trying to catch up the blog, my ears were delighted to hear Johanna bring Jenn up-to-date on everything in her world and hear Jenn respond with words of affirmation and encouragement.  What a joy.

Jenn remembered that I had mentioned that I wanted to see a covered bridge while I was in OR and found one near where we were headed.  It was not one she’d visited before.  The couple responsible for the salvation of this bridge had left a binder with printed sheets telling the story of how this bridge was moved from its original location.  The story was also a tremendous testimony of how God worked in their lives during this labor of love.  How cool is that? 

We arrived in Siletz Bay at a lovely, lovely motel called The Looking Glass.  This hotel was their gift to us.  She rented the largest suite for our family and it was huge and comfortable.

We dumped our stuff, changed and headed across the small parking lot to the beach.

The water was freezing brisk.  The sun was high in the sky.  The sand was warm.  Oh was it beautiful. 

We’d barely started looking around when Katriel sat herself down to doff her socks and shoes.  She is my little girl, after all.

John, Dave, and the boys walked up to where the bay met the ocean.  There the waves behaved wavy; but here in the bay, the water lapped gently.  It was also far less windy and despite being only in the high 60’s it felt like beach weather. 

I walked up to where the bay met the ocean, too, so that I could put my feet in the Pacific Ocean.  Glorious!

Mr. Maxfield brought gear for crabbing, and somewhere along the line I completely lost count of how many they caught.  You are only allowed to keep the males and they must be a certain size.  Before the day was over almost every child over 9 had caught at least one. 

We were there forever, it seems, but it was probably only two hours or so.  We John went back across the lot to start dinner and we all headed back a short time later.  The kids and Mr. Maxfield did a “polar plunge” that I am renaming a Pacific Plunge.

 

We ate dinner in our suite.

And headed back to the beach for s’mores and campfire.  And more crabbing…!

And kite-flying.

See the rainbow?

Oh, how I love the ocean.  I love sand.  I love sun. 

What a magnificent day.

Psalm 139:9-10
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me