Snapshot moments of the kids

A few moments to remember...


Carly Jean, gathering shells along the tidal strand until the pockets of my vest - already too large on her six year-old frame - were weighed nearly to the ground with mussels and clams and treasures from the sea.

Jake, taking off running at top two year-old speed, toward the flat water of the slough, while the adults were standing around talking. By the time we all looked up, he'd scared up a couple hundred cawing gulls and was grinning happily to himself, feet turning a chilly pink in the ankle-deep water.

Catalina, very disappointed that she didn't get to hug Kathy & Bruce goodnight late one evening, trundling up the stairs toward their loft all alone after all the lights were out but mine. I asked her what she was looking for, and she said, in a plaintive voice, "Bwoooth?"

Luciano, being very excited about finding a wooden "x" in the tidal debris (really a christmas tree stand sans christmas tree), which Bruce then stuck in the sand at Gilbert and Luciano's heads while they were being half-buried in the sand by the other kids.

Gilbert, learning the literal meaning of spitting into the wind when he attempted, twice, to get some sand out of his mouth by spitting, yes, directly into the stiff breeze.

Kristina, asking me how much cash I'd reward her with if she could cartwheel all the way back to a green jacket we'd left at the near end of the beach, after we'd walked to the far end. I laughed and offered a quarter. She started off cartwheeling down the beach, and by the time she reached the green jacket, the pledges were up to four dollars. She made it all the way there, until some sneaky soul grabbed the jacket and ran farther down the beach with it, giggling as she ran out of steam.