One of my favorite things to do at the beach is to read. This year, I brought the book, "The Time Traveler's Wife". I've heard all the acclaim for the movie, but I love to read best sellers before I watch the movie, so this is my summer reading. And I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is such a great read and quite a creative concept to keep up with Clare and Henry over many dates, times and ages. And it has put me in a mental time traveling state. It actually started before I began reading the book. The beach just brings back many wonderful memories for me of my amazing family. As Bradley and I walked up to our new condo that we chose to stay out this year, my mind wondered back to the first time he and I arrived at the beach together for family vacation. In 2009, this year, we arrived before the family, but in the Summer of 1997, we arrived last. And we were met by Bradley's dad, Dr. Danny Thomas (I called him Doc back then and just Dad now), who said this as we stepped out of our car, "Bradley, how could you chose this place? It is a dump and your mom is upset!" He was helping us put our stuff on a cart to traverse up to 301 of Moontide. And I was dying on the inside. Oh no! We're going to be here an entire week with my in-laws of just over a year and Bradley's grandparents, and they hate it! Wow, this will be too much fun. And then we walked into the condo and Bradley's mom was jumping up and down, squealing with excitement because the condo was beautiful! Nice! Bradley's dad got us good. Now fast-forward 13 years later and we're walking into our new condo. Bradley opens the door, while holding his breath and then, we both start jumping up and down, squealing with delight! No, this is the BEST condo ever! And right then and there Bradley decides to turn this 13 year old joke on his dad. Hysterical! My time traveling started right then and there.
Sitting on the deck today reading my book, Bailey comes out to sit by me. She is almost as tall as me. She has some of my features, but her figure is Becky Thomas all the way, and I am so grateful. And just like that, I'm back at the beach in 1998. It is a hot June day. I'm wearing a blue and green maternity bathing suit and yellow cover up. I know!!! It is about day 3 of our week long vacation and I'm trying to figure out how to sit my very big baby-belly down gracefully on my beach chair. Just when I get comfortable, a man walks over to me from his area on the beach. He's holding a shovel and proceeds to ask me if I need help with my umbrella today. I tell him no thanks. My husband is just about to come down and put it in the sand for me. Just then he says this, "Ma'm, I wanted you to know that I am a doctor and you look like you could deliver any day, so if you happen to go into labor, just scream and I can help you." I can hear it like it was yesterday. I proceed to pat my very large, whale-like belly and say, "I only have 3 more months to go, sir, so I think I'll be okay today. But thank you anyway." He walks quietly away. If I didn't love the beach so much, I would have waddled right back up to our room. But, I was pretty much stuck in my chair anyway. Bailey would be born just 3 months later. It was her first trip to the beach. And instantly, I'm back in 2009 and she's asking me to go for a walk on the beach with her and Brody. What a fun trip back in time! And no waddling this time.
As we walk down the beach looking at washed up Jellyfish, my mind continues to take little time trips. I begin to share some of them with my kids. They laugh as I do. Like one summer in New Symrna, which Brody used to lovingly call "New Smyrnal", we were out on the deck on a rainy day. Much like today, the waves were crashing the shore. I think that was what made my mind wonder back across time. I asked Bailey if she remembered that mom on the deck next to ours yelling to get her daughter out of the ocean. It was actually closed to people that day too. She was yelling "Nunee!" I guess that we her name. Bailey instantly started dying laughing. That is only something my family would understand. Back into 2009, Brody wanted a story about him at the beach. His first trip was to New Smyrna. The first time we sat him on the beach, he just ate an entire handful. No crying, no choking...He just ate it. He's loved the beach ever since. I instantly time travel to the summer of 2004. Brody is 4 and we're all sitting around the pool together. Of course, he is afraid of nothing. It is after dinner and we're all just sitting on chairs up on the roof of the Moontide talking about our day. The next thing I know, Brody yells back at us, "Look, I can swim!" And in he jumps. The only problem is, his swimmies are sitting on the side of the pool. Of course, we all panic and jump up into our lifesaving mode to go and rescue our dying 4 year old son. Only, he's swimming like a fish all over the pool. Just like that. He's never looked back. And just like that I'm in 2009, sitting in Destin, holding my book, watching my tanned beach boy in his goggles doing laps like he's Michael Phelps. I think this time he's doing the breast-stroke and he's pretty good.
In the 2 days we've been here together, I bet I have "time traveled" over 100 times to precious memories of us over the last 13 years. Moments engraved in my mind. Since I have a photographic memory, they all seem as vivid as if they were just happening in the here and now. Where has the time gone? The baby who was in my belly in 1998 is laying over there on the couch. She's starting middle school on Monday. My beach baby has been practing his tackle football skills by tackling pillows on his bed in the next room. My amazing husband is stretched out on the middle couch with a camo band-aid over his right eye...wait, that's another story for another blog adventure. In short, I have and am loving my life. We are so blessed! And I'm grateful that I can condure up these moments of life, precious and priceless moments, to keep my company in my here and now. On to the next adventure!
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