A Thin Slice of Heaven

The majority of my happy childhood memories are beach memories. We spent a week or two on Cape Cod every summer until I was 12, and a week or two every winter at my grandparents' house on Captiva Island in Florida. The beach has always felt like home to me. Nothing makes me happier than a day sitting in the sand, watching the ocean. Perhaps my parents anticipated this when they gave me my middle name ("Beach").

However, because I'm of the fair-skinned, freckled, blue-eyed variety, I've never been much of a sun person. I burn easily, and seek out shade whenever possible. Much of my beach experience involves sitting under an umbrella with a hat and sunglasses on. But I still love it. When I was little, I'd often spend my under-the-umbrella hours fantasizing about my future babies and how much fun it would be to take them to the beach. And living this fantasy really is like a thin slice of heaven. Being at the beach with my kids is the most amazing thing ever. I could watch them playing in the sand and the waves all day, everyday, and be completely fulfilled. We spent the last four days enjoying the sandbar, digging moats and building castles, jumping over waves and searching for creatures and treasures of the sea. If it weren't for the sun factor, I really could have stayed out there forever. As is, I can't wait to go back.