The Sandcastle Days

Will and I took our kids to the gulf for fall break, and words cannot express the joy of seeing the wonder of the beach through their eyes! It felt like they were unwrapping one of mommy’s all-time favorite gifts. Being at the ocean always brings memories flooding back from different phases of my life and moments from each season…the playing days, the laying days, the floating days, the boating days, the skiing days, the freeing days, the thinking days, the drinking days, the sinking days, the feeling days, the reeling days, the healing days, the falling in love days. Will and I discovered this particular beach on our five-year wedding anniversary, not knowing the treasures it would hold. When we thought about our future, we could picture having a family, but we couldn’t quite imagine the fullness of these days…I have named them “The Sandcastle Days”.

This stage of life is one that is incredibly sweet and incredibly consuming all at the same time. I find myself wishing it would never pass and also wishing it would pass soon multiple times a day. It’s a fleeting season of timeless moments with little people I never knew I would love so much. Seeing our kids fall in love with the beach reminded me of the preciousness of this season. I hope you enjoy this poem I wrote to capture this time and bottle it up.

The Sandcastle Days

Mommy, come and play with me.
Let’s build a castle by the sea!
Hold my hand while I touch the wave,
Mommy, mommy I’m so brave!

What is on the other side?
What does it mean when you say tide?
Are there fish and do they bite?
Where do they sleep when it is night?

Look, here comes a great big wave!
Mommy, will you carry me?
Can we dig a great big hole?
Make it big and bury me.

Look I found a little shell,
I hear the ocean like you said.
Can I take it home with me?
Can I keep it by my bed?

There’s a book you want to read,
a picture you should take,
but mommy come and play with me,
this castle needs your help to make.

Mommy, this is so much fun!
There is no need to sit and sun.
Who is that friend you’d like to call
when our castle is about to fall?

Mommy you’re my favorite friend!
I think you hung the moon.
It’s hard to imagine the others
I’ll run to play with soon.

Someone else to fill my mote,
to take me riding on their boat.
You’ll be watching from the shore
wishing for a minute more.

These are the sandcastle days.
Time will wash them far away.
One day we’ll look back and say,
I sure am glad we got to play.

Mommy, you’ll have time alone,
quiet and no hassle.
It’s true, I’ll be leaving you…
so glad we built that castle.

And one day down the road,
I’ll have little ones too.
And when I take them to the beach
I’ll always think of you!