The Armstrongs: Mrs. Norma's beach "hotel"

A couple of days after the 4th of July (when Mark went back to work for his last busy stretch of the CWE year), Turner and I headed to Gulf Shores to spend a few days at the beach. I have a very special friend, Mrs. Norma, who has invited us to accompany her to her beach condo (which Turner said she thought was a hotel) before but we had never been able to work out the logistics prior to this summer. We are so grateful that she afforded us this opportunity as it was my first beach trip this summer and a much needed break from the busy life here at home.

Let me tell you about Mrs. Norma. In 2004 I went on a mission trip to Honduras and Mrs. Norma was my roommate - I was 25 and she was 71. I learned quickly that she had more energy and spunk than I did and she could outwork almost anyone on our construction team. We maintained our friendship through the years, but she really became a part of my family shortly after her daughter (and my good friend) died after a 2 month battle with cancer. I introduced my blog readers to Norma in this post, but I had no idea that in the next couple of years Norma would become a third grandmother to Turner and a good friend to me. Norma is now 78 years old, and she can still run circles around me at times with her energy and zeal for living life to it's fullest. She put on her bathing suit (not some old lady skirted one either) and stayed on the beach with us as long as we wanted to stay. She swam in the ocean with us, walked a mile down the beach for exercise, and one evening it was me and Turner who were too tired to stay out at The Hangout. I asked her how she maintains her energy and her spunk and her answer was, "Attitude. It's all in your attitude about living life." This is a lady who in the last 10 years has buried her husband and daughter...and she's telling me about having a positive attitude? Wow.

It was my first trip to the beach as the only/primary caretaker and "playmate" for Turner, so that was different for sure! I love the beach because the beach = sun. I am aware that some people actually enjoy getting sandy, playing games, flying kites, etc. while they are at the beach. I am not one of those people! It amazed me that Turner didn't seem to comprehend why I didn't want her to touch me with sandy hands, or walk across my towel. :) The people sitting nearby got quite a laugh when we would go wash off the sand in the water in preparation of heading home for the day, and immediately when we got back up to our towel Turner would drop to her hands and knees and wiggle around in the sand. I talked to my Mom (who shares my feeling about all things sandy) while we were there and informed her that though I would enjoy her company, I NEEDED my Dad there to entertain Turner.

Nevertheless, this trip wasn't just about me (after you have a child most things in life aren't...) and I was able to get some sun while I built sandcastles with my girl. (My main job was making multiple trips to refull the water bucket.) And once Turner got accustomed to the sounds and movements of the surf again she wanted to spend almost all of her time in the ocean. Thankfully, my Dad taught me the joy of "jumping the waves" many years ago so Turner and I really enjoyed ourselves in the rather wavy surf. I am grateful because my girl is just like her Mommy -- she LOVES the beach! I couldn't help but think of summers to come (after she starts to love the sun more than sand) when we can steal away during long CWE stretches for some beach time together.

I did take a few pictures, though none of them bear reference that I was actually present at the beach. I snapped what I could on the dry land, but there are none of Turner in the water since I accompanied her while she swam.

Only my daughter would want to "bedazzle" her sandcastle. At one point I suggested it was time to head home and she told me emphatically that she couldn't leave yet because the shells didn't go all the way around like she wanted them to. (And no, I didn't suggest that she decorate it...) She made this one on our last late evening visit to the beach and as we walked away she turned to tell the sandcastle, "Bye sandcastle. See you next time we come to the beach!"

Norma took us to a long pier down the street to watch the sunset one evening, and Turner is still talking about this experience. Actually watching the sun disappear behind the horizon still amazes me.

Can you tell Turner had grown weary of my picture taking? I am pretty certain she was telling me to put down my camera...

I asked Turner to stand still, and I think Norma used the term "pose" and "stand as still as a statue". Apparently the only statue Turner is familiar with would be the Statue of Liberty....so of course this provided her with a theatrical opportunity to imitate her favorite NYC landmark.