Hot Sabbath

 Today we went to the beach after church.  Being Mormons, we tend to avoid recreation on Sundays, in order to honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy.  That being said, it is lovely to spend time as a family together enjoying one of God's creations: the ocean.  It was so nice to lay in the sand next to Mr. Nederhand and read our book.  We love reading together.  I loved hearing his gentle voice mix with the sound of the waves as they caressed the shore.

A nice and shady little hut we found on the beach.

After reading, Anthonie asked me if I thought we were romantic.  "Of course we are!" I replied. What could be more romantic than sitting in the sand reading a good book?  Then we tried to list a few of our favorite romantic moments together.  Our favorite memory was of the Rosarito, Mexico beach where we went for a walk in the middle of the night.  I still remember the smell of the ocean and the feel of the cold air on my face as he kissed me.  That was over six years ago.  Whenever I think of the miracle that we are together--through all the time and trials--I am filled with the sweet knowledge of God's love for me.  We never would have made it without His help and His love guiding us.

Inside the hut

When we came home from the beach, it was still so hot in our little house.  (Not over 80 degrees, but we have no AC here!)  So I decided to run through the sprinklers.  Mr. Nederhand came running with me.  We played freely, like children, screaming at the cold water and teasing each other.  I hope our days can stay this carefree for a while.  It is a luxury to have so few worries.

View from the hut

Handsome husband reading

In other news, my friend, Caroline, came to visit our church with her son Eli today!  I feel so blessed to share my love for the gospel with such a dear friend.  I hope she felt the same joy that I did, listening to the members' testimonies.  It is a personal thing to share our beliefs, usually held so closely to our hearts, with others.  The best gift that one friend can give to another is to share a core belief, a kernal of truth, and hope that they feel similarly.

Happy Sabbath!