I always considered myself blessed to live on the Jersey Shore. Really, who wouldn't love to have the beach in their backyard. For 34 years, yes every year since I was born, I never missed an opportunity to make a memory at the shore. I must have made the trip over the bridge to Long Beach Island thousands of times ....from my car seat when I was a child to the drivers seat with my littles just a few months ago. I have walked the boards from Wildwood to Spring Lake over and over again. I celebrated birthdays in Atlantic City and danced with friends in clubs along Seaside, Belmar, and Sea Bright. Almost every memory I have growing up, almost every celebration, almost always involved the shore.
When Zoey was born I wanted her to see the beauty of living at the shore, of being a short 5 mile ride to the beach.... and princess rocked it - she loved her some beach.
Some days we would head over the bridge as early as nine in the morning and not cross back over until six or seven at night. She would play with her friends.... building sand castles and splashing in the waters.
Education at the beach - Snails!
And the boardwalk and amusement rides....baby girl riding with her cousin just like I did when I was a kid. In Zoey's short 5 years, she has gotten to experience the rides in Wildwood, Atlantic City, Ocean City, Seaside, and Point - many a times over.
She got to experience the sweet taste of cotton candy after riding the rides all day long.
And even celebrated her birthday and a few friends birthday's at Fantasy Island.
Naturally, when baby boy came home the first place we took him was - the beach!
and he rocked it too.
This is the last picture I took on Long Beach Island... it was September, the colder air was coming
and we were having one last after school beach day before summer was really over.
Its so hard to believe that with one storm so much can be washed away.
We sat in darkness like so many others - listening to the trees crack, howling winds, destruction - not really knowing just how bad things were outside. A few times during the night I tried to look out but it was just darkness. I remember thinking about James, and wondering if the news of the storm reached Korea and if his foster family was worried like I was when news aired here in the states about mudslides in Seoul when I was waiting to bring James home. No matter how scary the storm sounded I never in a million years thought that we would be waking up to what we woke up to.
It wasnt so bad in my neighborhood, and without power anywhere nobody had a clue just how bad it was just a few miles away. Images started surfacing on facebook, via phone connections that were intermitent, and everyone quickly relaized that this was a nightmare.
When the president flies into the same local airport you use to assess the damages you just know it isn't good. 
Its hard to believe these dwellings were places people called home.
It is hard to believe that so many people are without homes,
and that one of those events that you never think will happen in your lifetime, in your hometown - just did.
I have friends who have been displaced, family who suffered flooding and loss, my church is stationing the national guard, and every where you look there is a lingering sign of what devestation that bitch Superstorm Sandy caused.
While we were quite lucky with just the inconvience of downed trees and loss of power others lost so much more. It is heartbreaking to see peoples belongings..their memories..their joy.. piled at the curb.
It is hard to imagine what the days, months, even years ahead will bring.
Please continue to pray for all those affected and continue to support all the efforts to restore the shore.
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