And just like that, two weeks of bliss have ended.
Apart from my sunburn (which I happened to get the last two days), this may have been one of the best beach trips ever. And I've been coming for quite some time; 23 years to be exact.
In the past few days, I've continued to learn so much about myself. For example: even after 2 weeks, one can still get burnt; I'm still incredibly paranoid when in the ocean - never know when a shark might make a surprise appearance; I can't sleep as late as I could when I was a child, and much more. And throughout all of this, I've learned that God knows exactly what He's doing in my life.
On Thursday, we went to perhaps the BEST breakfast place ever created: Bayside Skillet, in Ocean City, MD. It's hard-to-miss hot pink exterior might confuse and scare away passersby, but I'm here to tell you that if you're ever in OCMD, YOU HAVE TO GO!!! Discovered years ago, it's been tradition to go on our vacation ever since. Known for their omelets and crepes, one plate of food and you won't need to eat for hours. I myself couldn't even finish my breakfast. Three crepes (stuffed with 3 kinds of fresh fruit and Chantilly lace cream) and four cups of coffee later, I wasn't sure I'd be able to leave the table. My only solace: knowing I could finish it for a late lunch. And finish it I did.
In the days since, a few trips into town were made to purchase shirts and other keepsakes, but mostly ice cream. My mom and I were fortunate enough to steal a few hours away on a rainy afternoon. As per tradition, we made sure it happened this year since I don't know what my life will be like next summer. It's funny how time changes things; in high school, we weren't each other's fondest people in the world. But now, especially since college, it's the complete opposite. So it was nice hanging out and doing our usual thing together. It's one of my favorite parts of this vacation.
My aunt and uncle came down for our last day from NY to spend some time before their family arrived. We stayed on the beach until at least 7:00pm, just hanging out and soaking up every last second we could. The neighbors had three golden retrievers that gave us quite a show, running into the waves to rescue their precious tennis balls. Overall, it was a great last day. Fantastic weather and good company made for a great time.
I took Mac (our Yorkie) for a walk before bed and for whatever reason, he kept tugging me to go up the boardwalk. 11:40 at night, in my pjs, and my dog wants to head up towards the beach. Well, I figured why not, it's my last night anyway. Almost a full moon, the bright light shone on the ocean so beautifully, I contemplated spending the night on the beach. It was so peaceful and pretty that I didn't do much but stare. Of course at that moment, a million and one thoughts flooded my mind: do I really have to go; wow, it's really nice out here; what if this is my last year; I don't want to go home. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath and the thoughts left, allowing me a peaceful few minutes to simply enjoy and marvel.
I have no idea what God has planned for me, but after tonight, I've come to realize that I don't need to worry about it. Obviously it's good not to sit around - I won't get a job that way, or other things for that matter. But God is clearly going to set before me which direction my life will take. I just need to trust that everything is under control.
"Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him." Psalm 62:5
So after two weeks, I'm really not ready to come home. But, knowing that everything will eventually come to fruition, I'm okay with coming back to reality. Plus, I still have a pool, so there's that. Catch y'all on the flip side. Meaning Pennsylvania.
And that's the way the cookie crumbles,
Ellie
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