The Beach

Once a month, my family (all 32 or so of us that still live 'round these parts) get together for what we call "Family Dinner". Yes, it happens once a month. People are always amazed at the frequency of our gatherings. Anyhow, usually, family dinner is at my parents' house since they specifically designed their home to be suitable for hosting 30+ people. Sometimes, we get bored or hot or someone has something else planned, and we do our dinner somewhere other than Seventh Heaven (my parents' house). My beautiful sister, Shannon, has been pushing to experiment with more adventurous dinner locations. This month, she planned a trip to the Marin Headlands for our dinner on Labor Day.
Other than the traffic, due in part to the fact it was the last holiday of the summer and in part to the fact that the Bay Bridge was closed for the weekend (lame), it was a great day. Shannon reserved a spot on Kirby Cove, which literally looks back toward the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. It is a beautiful location, and we were pleased to be at the "beach" (I put it in quotes since the beach in Northern California is not really what most people think of when you say "beach" -- it's cold and windy and not ideal for swimming).It was fun to watch the kids play in the water, as all of us adults secretly shivered on their behalf, and to enjoy the beauty around us. As always, it was great to spend some time with my family -- to reconnect and remember how blessed we are to have each other. Mason found some shells to help kick start his shell garden (what is a shell garden?), and Marissa took a nap in my arms. I am blessed. I live in a beautiful place. I have a beautiful family. I am healthy and largely able to live my life as I wish. I am grateful for my family, especially that we all share the same level of love and commitment to each other. The older I get, the more I realize how unique our family is in our desire to be with each other and to take care of each other. I am grateful for this closeness and this love. It is a daily blessing in my life.