This Little Light Of Mine

Just about every year my family uses the month of April as a time to celebrate. For starters, it's Easter! Secondly, my dad's birthday is usually the day after Easter, and my aunt's birthday also falls during that month. We usually celebrate by going to our favorite spot as a family, Cape Hatteras, NC. This year was no different, but I got off to a rocky start.

I had my first cardio test that Friday and had plans to head down and meet up with my family after failing passing my exam. I had so much anxiety after taking my exam that I went straight to the gas station for a fill up, hit up ABC for a bottle of Evan Williams, then got on the road. In addition to the anxiety from the exam, actually getting to my exam was posing a problem. Living in the Hampton Roads area brings undue traffic stress that you learn to live with.

While studying cramming last minute information that morning, my roommate's dad (retired Navy) called us and asked if we were ok. My puzzled roommate answered . . . yes? He told us to check out the news, that a jet had crashed into a community near by. We do live about a mile or so from Oceana Naval Air Station, and jets emergency landing/crashing into surrounding communities has been a concern for years. With that being said, one had not crashed in a VERY long time. We were obviously fine and no one miraculously was injured in that crash.

Back to the traffic. Oh mylanta the traffic! Because of the jet crash major highways were shut down causing an influx of traffic in certain areas. Needless to say, I was uncertain if I would make it to my exam in time to fail pass it.

After all that stress, I headed down to Hatteras to spend some much needed away time with the best family a girl could ask for.

The view from the top floor balcony porch of the house we stayed in.

Pretty much impossible to get a shot at a distance of the lighthouse without any power lines. Unless you're up close or you have a pretty excellent telephoto that gets right in between those gnarly lines.

My dad noticed these folks carrying crosses to signify the burden Jesus carried for us, so I ran out and snagged a few pictures. I had never seen this, but I believe he had.

Easter morning my whole family got up super early and we went to a sunrise service at the site of the old Hatteras Lighthouse (check out the link for more info). It was such a different but amazing experience. We sang various songs, one of which included "This Little Light of Mine." My cousins and I went to a private school growing up, and we all looked at one another and chimed right in with everyone else. Brought back a serious childhood flashback!

Got a few shots before the service began.

If you couldn't tell, the house we were staying in was right on the ocean, but just a mile or two from the lighthouse. It's actually a shorter run walk than drive, but most of us drove. My mom, cousin, aunt, and two friends decided to jog there because they're . . . crazy. Running on the compact sand is quite difficult if you have never tried it. Pretty good leg workout though. After the service was over, I decided to walk back to the house with my cousin's girlfriend and friend in hopes of snagging a few shots.

Can't wait 'til April next year!

-Suze