I decided that evening as Bella and I were driving home from prom that we needed to do something extraordinary over the summer. I thought of a few places right away which Brady had taken me, but I wanted this to be a summer they could remember with their mother; not tainted of memories from the past.

I definitely desired for it to be a beach location as we had made many memories on the ocean or near water. I discounted foreign lands, but did not entirely rule them out. North Carolina and South Carolina were out, so I started looking at the West coast. "Perhaps California", I thought!

As I thought more about our destination, I narrowed down a list of West coast destinations. And finally it hit me, "Coronado "! Yes, we would go to Coronado Beach for the summer.

Not only did I have Brady's income to support a summer house at the beach, but besides what I had spent on the children for prom and to get Liam licensed to drive, I had managed to save some of my pay from working for Clayton at Edward Jones. Somehow a summer at the beach would have to relax me; hopefully better than a handful of Quaalude's. In two weeks we would pack up and go.

I shared with the kids the morning after prom that we would be spending the summer at the beach. I did not share with them the destination, they would have to wait and see. Suitable rentals were expensive, but the prices fluctuated in my favor a bit as the summer was calling for tropical storms and perhaps even hurricanes and earthquakes. None of this scared me, so I took advantage of the fact that the realtor shared this small little detail with me and bartered for a lower price.

The summer would cost us $8,000. Cost was not an issue, as my income from Brady's efforts alone was several times the capital outlay on a monthly basis...and we would have the house from June 1 to Labor Day.

The last week of school seemed to drag on for Bella and Liam. Many times they shared with me that they would like to just skip the last few days and head to our destination. However, I shared with them that attendance was also important when it comes time for colleges to review your transcripts. The sighs, whines and moans continued almost daily, so I knew I had captured their hearts and that my planning for this trip and the summer away might provide a sort of oasis for us all.

The prom that evening was held at the Grove Park Inn. The hotel has been a desired destination; and considered highly recommended as a "gem of the South" in Asheville, North Carolina, since 1913. A man had a vision, and Mr. Grove put it into place himself, working men tirelessly for months to finish it after declining offers from architects across the United States.

I was asked to be a chaperone for the evening, which made me feel more comfortable. Isabella looked beautiful and her date handsome. They "danced the night away", so to speak; at times a little closer and a little more "fresh" than I would have liked. However, I did and always have trusted the judgement of my daughter, as her father and I raised her with Christian values that remain intact.

The night went quickly, and by 11:00 PM, it was time to retreat to our small castle. Brady had provided one of the finest homes in a wonderful location for us. It was a German-European styled home that was built in the 1980's. The previous owners had a vision that I would classify as Austrian, but the architecture was more German in my opinion. Plenty roomy though, for the three of us now.

As Bella and I traveled home, she gazed at the formal pictures they had taken. As one can imagine, they turned out to be great. Many times before I have mentioned that she was growing up too fast and was too beautiful for her own good; just like her mother in the "hay-day". Bella would get a good nights sleep; as we had the weekend and only one week of school left. She would be a senior next year, Brady would be fully licensed, and soon I would have another family member out of the nest...something I was ill prepared for.