WTF - BDay Love

So yesterday was my completion of another trip around the sun and I was blessed sharing it with family. It was a day of sand fights, kayaks, heart attacks, and rare steak.

I paddled with Max in the morning my Mom Sense kicking in as I went through what I would do if he fell off the paddle board.  Telling him to be safe, I turned witnessing him jumping and spinning on the paddle board in the middle of the channel feeling that first heart attack. So much for my lecture on how to balance when the kid is showing me he could stand on one leg?

"Can't you do anything safely?" I yell back to him.

After boarding we went over to The Old Town Yacht Club for the pool and the beach, that's where we almost got into a sand fight. There's a little sliver of beach for guests of the club and as we setup, two "locals" said, "You can't setup here we're saving this for our friends. Of course my sister in law and I (one drink in) looked at them saying "Um, you can't SAVE the beach. Possession is 9/10ths of the law ,"as we pulled out baby tents, towels, six chairs, three coolers and a snack bag. I think we left them a 3 foot sliver of beach. They spent the next few hours giving us dirty looks as we sipped our wine smiling back at them. We then moved into music war as both camps kept turning up the volume on their portable speaker. Oh you're playing Beyonce, well take a little Keith Urban BACK!

Next the boys decided they wanted to kayak from Radio Island back to our place in Beaufort. They tell me it is a fifteen min trip, they promise they would hug the shoreline, they are old enough, why am I worried, they will be fine.  AND, the kayaks have to go back to the condo for transport home the next day. "It's a win/win situation Mom," the oldest child says. I think they waited until I was two drinks in before surprising me with this, dumbing down my Mom Sense. Reluctantly I agree thinking they'll be fine. Why am I so worried?

This was supposed to be a relaxing birthday right?

I watched them paddle out into the MIDDLE of the canal watching a large cruise ship coming for them.

They swirl around in the middle of the shipping lane I'm pacing up and town the beach really pissing off the two "locals" as I take up more beach until they finally make the shoreline of Carrot Island.
Why don't kids listen to you, I'm sure Wolfgang is squirting bricks as the ships go by remembering "Oh yeah, Mom told me to get over to the shoreline."

Everyone was giving me updates as I watch,
"Max's arms look so skinny."
"They shouldn't be so far apart."
"Do you see that big ship? Do you think they see it?"
I practiced my yoga breath as they get smaller and smaller.
Finally, I watch them hit the point and disappear out of my sight.
I could think of was the song Jesus Take The Wheel.

This was supposed to be a relaxing birthday!

I die a few deaths waiting, the hubby texting:
"I see them!"

And finally,

"They are here!"

The boys made it safely, we all celebrated with an amazing dinner at Stillwater.

I couldn't help but feel blessed as I listened to them argue as both boys tried ordering the most expensive thing on the menu. Or maybe it was the wine, I'm not sure.

The hubby and I sat in the deck watching the sunset and I congratulated myself on another trip around the sun.


We're heading back home with only sand dollars in our pocket but a priceless amount of memories.

Cheers!