Monday, May 7, 2012

Sun, Sand, and Water: Part 3

My cousin called Thursday evening while we were out for dinner. "Hey, I heard you were at Hilton Head this week. Are you leaving tomorrow or will you be around? We're actually on our way to Hilton for the weekend and would love to get together with you guys." What are the odds?!
Friday morning my cousin, her husband, and her three handsome little men joined us for a day on the beach and in the pool. And it was great because the boys had new playmates and didn't need Grady and I to do everything with them. (WIN!)
The boys explored the tide pools with nets and buckets, catching lots of starfish, several minnows, some blue crabs, and even a sand dollar. We had ourselves a mini-aquarium happening right around our beach chairs and towels!
Micah is all about the actual hunt, but could care less once he has something caught. Hold it? Naw. Observe it? Who cares. Watch things crawl and pinch? Boring.
Jason had a good eye for spotting crabs, which hid perfectly in the sand, and Grady Lee was beyond excited when he held one. While Micah was out using the body board on the waves, Grady Lee was on his hands and knees furiously looking for animals. So funny to watch the difference.
Friday was the first day we saw some clouds, but there was never the threat of rain or heavy winds. The weather during our unexpected week away couldn't have been better. And, the unexpected treat of enjoying a day with extended family was a wonderful treat as well.
Amazing how a new set of playmates made the day sort of relaxing! Now my boys had buddies to dig in the sand and jump in the waves with, which meant I could have more than a three second conversation with my cousin and catch up on life. She's a new homeschooling mom as well so we had lots of ideas and questions to swap.
We had lunch poolside and then it was back in the water for more fun. Cannonball contests and diving after pool toys are way more fun in the company of friends. And, believe it or not, at the ripe ole age of three, four, and five, there was plenty of macho-tough-guy-show-off stuff exchanged between the boys. Really, comparing muscles already?!
When my cousin and her family left, it was time to begin packing up our things, too, since we needed to leave the following morning. I was thinking we could stay through Saturday afternoon, but Grady reminded me we had 10 college students coming over for dinner that evening. Oops, minor detail I temporarily forgot.
In the typical over-the-top organized and don't-sit-until-all-jobs-are-done style that Grady and I have, we had the van vacuumed, suitcases unpacked, laundry started, groceries bought, yard mowed, mail opened, and dinner ready by 6:30 that evening. Roll your eyes if you want, that's just the way we work. Vacation isn't over until everything is put away and life is back in its routine swing of things.

I'm so, so thankful for the wonderful time away. I'm thankful for generous friends. I'm thankful for beautiful weather. I'm thankful for a luxurious place to explore. I'm thankful for a husband who thinks fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants outings can be a lot of fun. I'm thankful for three darling kids that gave me lots of smiles and laughter throughout the week. And, mostly, I'm thankful God chose to bless my family with this special week.

3 comments:

  1. Yay! What an awesome conclusion to a uber-fun, spur of the moment get-away! And how cool to get to spend special time with cousins, to boot! So happy that you guys were blessed with a great vacation & a little R&R! And I know how you feel, vacation isn't over until the stuff is unpacked, washed & put away! Enjoy your week with fond memories of the beach!

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  2. I love that you all took this opportunity and created some awesome memories--and how wonderful that you were able to have a cousin meet-up, too!

    And I am not rolling my eyes at all; I am quite impressed with your get-it-done attitude!

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  3. What an awesome treat to get to play with cousins and those starfish are AMAZING - won't find those at Myrtle Beach!

    I am sooo there with you on the unpacking and get it done. The last 30 min of every trip - I start collecting trash and picking up toys etc. Joe doen't share the same spirit - he usually says from the couch, "I'll be out there in 30 min to help you unload" - 30 minutes - I'll be done by then :)

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