Page 65 of To the Moon and Back
Everyone agreed.
“Okay, here goes!” Cole looked to the bottom of the sheet of paper. “In sixth place we have Uncle Luke and Aunt Reagan’s family.”
“Yay for the half White House, half Lincoln Memorial!” Tommy started giggling and in a few seconds he was doubled over laughing. “Still . . . sixth place isn’t bad. And first place for originality!”
Ashley savored everything about the moment. Her family was hilarious. And yes, this was the best Fourth of July picnic yet.
As the laughter quieted, Cole found his announcer voice again. “And in fifth place, Uncle Ryan and Aunt Kari’s family with the Clear Creek Football Stadium!”
A round of applause showed the appreciation. Landon leaned over to Ryan. “Don’t tell the team.”
Ryan grinned. “Don’t worry!”
Jessie, their oldest, shrugged. She looped her arms around her brother and sister. “It was the best sandy football field on the lake. That’s for sure!”
More laughter and then Cole revealed fourth place going to Dayne and Katy and their kids, and third place to his own family’s creation. “Aslan of Narnia!”
Ashley was proud of Cole. He had dreamed about this contest for weeks and worked on figuring out a scoring system. She would’ve guessed they finished first by the enthusiastic way he ran up the hill with the results. But evidently he had taken the message to heart. This was about the family having fun.
Not about winning.
Besides—as her dad had said earlier—losing was part of life.
Second place went to Brooke and Peter’s family, and the sand replica of Kensington Palace. Hayley jumped around and hugged Maddie, then her mother. She was one of the happiest people any of them knew. She might as well have won the Olympic medal for sand castle building.
“Which means, first place goes to . . .” Cole did a faux drumroll on his knees. “Papa and Grandma Elaine for the Baxter house.”
Ashley smiled, her heart full. Was there ever any question?
A round of high fives and congratulations came from the others. Ashley watched her dad hug Elaine and kiss her. The two of them had married several years after Ashley’s mother died. Elaine was a very special woman, for sure. In fact, not long ago for a school project Cole had met with Ashley’s dad so he could tell the love story between him and Ashley’s mom. Cole’s Grandma Elizabeth. Elaine was not only supportive of the project, she encouraged it.
It was evident today that nothing about that project had harmed her dad and Elaine in the least. Ashley was glad. She loved seeing her dad so happy.
“Let’s take a look once more at all the sand castles.” Ashley’s dad led the way down the grassy bank, Elaine at his side. “Before the sun goes down.”
Just then a couple of ski boats sped by not far from the shore. They weren’t doing anything dangerous, really. But Ashley watched as the boats kicked up a wake and then zipped off across the lake.
“The wild ones come out on the Fourth.” Landon shaded his eyes from the setting sun.
Before anyone could say anything else, a series of waves reached the shore and washed up against the winning creation.
Cole ran toward it. “Wait!” He was a few feet away when the house, weak from the wave, melted into a pile of mushy sand.
For a few seconds all anyone could do was stare. Then Cole glanced back at his papa. “All that work . . .”
Ashley looked at her dad, but he was smiling, his eyes deep with nostalgia. “Isn’t that just how it is, though? You build something here on earth thinking it’ll last forever.” He drew a slow breath. “When really it’s the people who last. The souls of people. Their faith and their God. That’s what endures.”
“True.” Ashley walked up to the collapsed house and took one of the seashells. She studied it for a few seconds. “All of that and something else.” She smiled at her dad and held up the shell. “The memories.”
Kari joined her and took a seashell from the pile, and then Ashley’s other siblings did the same thing. Because whether it was a sand castle or Kensington Palace, their dad was right. Time would take the things they treasured here on earth.
Even, one day, the Baxter house.
Which was why, at the end of a day like this, Ashley was grateful. Not only that her family enjoyed celebrating the Fourth of July this way, but that each of them loved Jesus. Because one far-off day on the shores of heaven, the sand castle contest could involve the entire family.
Not just the ones here today.
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