Sweet Summertime

I’ll admit it! I am a beach bum! If I could live at the beach, I would! I LOVE summertime.; I always have! It is a magical time of year when (as a student) you don’t have so much responsibility and can do awesome things like stay up late, sleep in, hang with friends, wear flip-flops to church, take a family vacation, and relax!
Loving the summer comes naturally to me. The beach was also my dad’s favorite place in the world. And, I probably love it so much because it is a tradition for my family! When I was growing up, my grandparents had a beach house at Hilton Head and each summer our family and friends would go for multiple weeks. I was very lucky (and spoiled).

Some of my favorite memories of that summer tradition include:
*Apple fritters! My grandfather would always go and get from the local grocery store early in the morning and bring to us for breakfast. I’ve never tasted any as good as those!

*The coffee tree! Our family named it that, but it was really a palm tree that leaned to the side (so you could sit on it) and was located across the street from our house. My dad would have his coffee there most mornings by himself and have his time with God. My sister and I LOVED to climb on that tree.

*The Earle of Sandwhich Pub at Coligny Plaza! This is the best restaurant ever, and it was a part of our tradition to eat there at least once a trip.

*4th of July Fireworks! Our family went to the beach EVERY 4th of July. Our house was very close to Shelter Cove! So close, in fact, that we could lay out back in the grass and the fireworks were just over our heads!

Because of all of this, I have come to realize how meaningful tradition is for people! But God has also taught me the importance of creating new traditions! Sadly, my grandparents sold their beach house when I was in college. I really miss that dedicated family time in OUR beach house (which I will always remem-ber as sweet summertime)! But our family has found new ways to be together, and we’re beginning to make new traditions (we LOVE renting at Edisto now)! It’s not the same—there’s no family beach house any more and my grandparents have both passed away now. But, there is still time together and many memories to share in and live through together!

These memories are so important as are new ones! Blaine and I are so excited to be a part of Zion’s family now. In the past 9 months we’ve had some great times! We look forward to being able to continue making memories and experiencing traditions (old and new) at Zion!