Sea Island

So I have a pretty good excuse for being a little bit behind on blogging lately....I was cleared by my oncologist and surgeon for travel two weeks after my surgery, so I was actually able to tag along on a family trip to Sea Island, Georgia!  I've been listening to the plans being made for this vacation for several months now, but in a passive way, since I was certain I wouldn't be going on this trip.  Matter of fact, it was specifically timed to occur during my post-surgery convalescence.  But after the stress of the pathology report, once I got the clearance to go, I was determined to be with the family! It was such a wonderful opportunity to spend time with everyone, especially since I won't be seeing David or the kids during the week for the next seven weeks, as I'm undergoing radiation treatment Mondays-Fridays, with quick trips home on the weekends.  It was also a very relaxing and fun visit to an entirely new locale!

Naturally, there was lots of beach play...I mainly stayed out of the sun due to post-chemo skin sensitivity concerns, but not entirely!

The B4 walking together!

David and the kids constructing a goopy sandcastle.

Also included was a lot of pool time at the wonderful Beach Club facility.

I love this series of photos...I have no idea if this is what actually happened, but here is how I imagine it:

Weston, forlorn because he can't locate his older cousin, Bain....

Reunited with Bain, hurray!

OHMYGOODNESSI'MSWIMMINGWITHBAIN!  Life is perfect!

Reese also had a blast swimming with the cousins, and riding the water slide. Apparently she used Bain's phone to film herself sliding, which I have yet to watch!  I'm sure it's pretty entertaining.

I never actually made it poolside, but it looked and sounded like a fantastic time!

Christine and Blake are in the know and hooked us up with Bingo night reservations at The Cloisters.  We have played bingo with friends at the VFW in Austin, but this was, um, slightly fancier. Coats required for the gentlemen. Clown pants optional.

Set in a fancy ballroom, with a former Vegas performer announcing the numbers.  The picture doesn't do it justice (mainly because it's the only image in this post that I took instead of my professional-level father-in-law photographer), but the room was very ornate and beautiful.

We had so much fun!  Here's part of our group, warming up!

B4 again!  Weston was totally into it, as you can tell.

"Ooooooooh 66!"  The W5 and 500 of our closest friends get into the game.

Bain was our family's winning representative that night.  He was the first legitimate bingo winner of the evening. I think there were a record 8 bungo's (false bingo claims) prior to his win.  Each of those folks were fined $1 for their error, and I'm pretty sure that all went back directly to Bain.  Another contingency returned two night later and Georgia won for our group that night.  Way to represent, y'all!

Honestly, it just wasn't Weston's cup of tea.  At all.  Apparently bingo gives him the crazy eyes. But he behaved very well and was able to enjoy the customary post-bingo cookies and milk!

Another favorite of the trip: our many morning and evening beach-combing walks, dependent upon whether it was low tide.

Walking along the beach in the morning....

...as well as the evening were such fun times.  It was a relaxing and fun way for everyone to experience the beach at their own pace.

The marine life evident on the beaches is very interesting and much more abundant than what we see on the Texas beaches, at least the ones that we frequent. David and I became quite concerned about the plight of the sand dollars.  No one else seemed too worried.

We found many of the dead and dried sand dollars, but also several of the living ones as well, such as this little guy here. 

Did you know that sand dollars are endangered?  And that it's illegal to take the live sand dollars as mementos? Shocking, isn't it, Weston?

But in all seriousness, these were really some of my favorite moments from the trip. There's just something healing about walking on a beach, breathing in the balmy salt air and looking at the ocean.  

I should also mention that David and I celebrated our 12th anniversary on Father's Day. We marked the occasion with a dinner with our parents and kids, which was wonderful and seemed perfect. I am so grateful that God matched us up so many years ago. I love this man tremendously!

There was always something fun planned: groups went fishing and golfing...

Bain caught this cool fish.

Some of us met another group as they returned to the dock.  Many sharks and sting ray were caught and released.

One crab was not.

The handsome golfing guys!

On our last night, we went to dinner at the Lodge.  This picture of Reese makes me flash forward to teenage years for some reason! Aaaaah!

Dinner on the last night. It was a wonderful chance to be together one last time before we had to bifurcate and go our separate ways the next day.

It was an amazing trip.  I'm behind grateful that I was able to spend time with my family and to relax in such a beautiful place.  Thank you to Lorne and Michelle, my parents, the W5 and of course the B4 for making it such a wonderful week.  I love you all!