Galveston, Oh Galveston!

We had such a great day today! And I have successfully loaded over 25 photos to show you PLUS I went back to yesterday's post and plugged pictures into that (be sure to see them!).

Our day started with Rachel and I going to a half-off bookstore not very far from their house. We were given about an hour to be without the little ones, so we sat down on the floor surrounded by wonderful children's books and picked out some to take home with us. Mr. Jones, Nick and the kiddos went shopping for a rear-view mirror repair kit for the van (long story).

But after those errands were accomplished, we drove a few miles over to the Marathon Building where Aunt Peg works.
Marathon is one of the sponsors/partners with Kyle Petty's racing team. Today, the team was in Houston to promote the good stuff they do, like a camp they run for chronically ill children (not terminally ill ~ chronically ill) ...
This is Mr. Petty in person thanking Marathon for their support and telling us about the children's camp.
Queenie thought the whole affair was pretty cool ... afterall, there was FREE icecream treats!

I think Peg told us the building has 48 floors and she is on the 23rd ... she could see us parking the van out of her office window. Nia Madelynn had an up-and-down day today ... which she is entitled to have since she is only seven months old ... this is her very happy face as she is being put into her car seat ... however, this pretty smile didn't stay with her after having to ride in the van for an hour out to Galveston Island. Rachel thinks she is teething ... a lot of teeth all at once ... and that can make for a miserable experience in one so young ...
Our destination today was Galveston Island, one of my most favorite places on Planet Earth. We rode the ferry over to Point Bolivar with the goal to see the lighthouse there. The ferry ride over was SO amazingly beautiful ... you know how I am around the water ... around boats and marinas and the BIG boats and the sea gulls ...
I am ALWAYS 100% happy when I am in this environment. The only place I am happier is in Israel ~ honest!
Look at all the HUGE ships ~ aren't they so beautiful? Houston harbor is really really busy!
It was really windy out there today ... but not too rough ... and the birds were everywhere!

This was my first view of the lighthouse. I'm going to have to google some information on it to share with you a bit later ... not the prettiest lighthouse I have ever laid eyes on, but a lighthouse just the same!

From a distance, it looks like the lighthouse sits right smack on the shore ... but it doesn't! We drove off the ferry and down a road that led to the lighthouse.
"May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God's holy people, who live in the LIGHT. For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and has brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son." COLOSSIANS 1:12-13
I took a lot of pictures here, getting as close as we could legally do ~ lately, almost every lighthouse I try to photograph has those annoying fences with NO TRESSPASSING written in large letters on them ... but I was very pleased with the pictures I took today. We didn't stay too long on Point Bolivar as there really isn't much to do there. We got back on the ferry and crossed back to eat the picnic Rachel had packed and to enjoy the beach.

I took pictures both coming and going on the ferry ... the day was so beautiful, it was hard to resist just snapping picture after picture after picture!
I climbed up to the top deck of the ferry to get a few different angles, and caught this one of Rachel and Nia ...
Nathan and Boo enjoyed the ferry ride very much ... although Boo was a little bit seasick and had to lean over the side a few times ... !
We drove off the ferry and found a place on the beach on this end of Galveston Island where we could spread out our blanket and eat ... the few pictures I took of us eating were flattering to no one, so I will not post those ...

See how happy I am here on Galveston Island? I never ever get tired of this kind of amazing beauty! And the sound of the surf today was like a symphony of praise!

"Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done wonderful deeds. He has won a mighty victory by his power and holiness ... shout to the LORD, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! ... Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in." PSALM 98:1, 4 & 7
WATCH OUT EVERYONE!! Look at the new lifeguard on Galveston Island ... the only lifeguard I have ever seen with his very own Boo bear assistant!
Nathan and Boo find Nicolas quite an amusing companion ...
I took another 200 pictures today ... do you think I will ever get enough pictures of sand and rocks, surf and gulls?
We had quite a full day, enjoying the awesome beauty of God's creation. We drove into the old city of Galveston for just a little while tonight, strolling the streets and looking a bit in the shops ~ what a great day!

Horse and carriage rides are available on the island ...
Nathan is very fond of horses.