our big adventure!

i'm pretty sure yesterday should count as 3 days...

i woke up about every 5 minutes during the night before.
probably every time i heard one of the kids move...or cough...or breathe.
but everyone else slept well, which was more important.

i got up and ran (yay!)
then we ate breakfast in the lobby (LOVE Hampton Inn!)

then we packed up and headed to the ferry.

we rode the ferry to Bald Head Island.
it's this island that you can only get to by ferry.
AND there are NO cars there...you just get around by golf cart or bicycle!

the day was GORGEOUS.

we were all so excited!
and not exactly sure what to expect.
i had come up with this idea in about 30 minutes...did as much research as i could...but you just never know!


sawyer was nervous.
held TIGHTLY to my hands while we were on the ferry :-)
i didn't mind!




once we got to the island, we walked over to where you rent golf carts and loaded all 6 of us and our "beach for the day stuff" on a 4 person golf cart :-)

we drove around a bit...the island was just so cute.
there really aren't words to describe it.
i've never been anywhere like it.
the road down the middle of the island is all tree-covered and peaceful.
the road around the outside is by the beach and full of bicycles and golf carts with very friendly people!

but, pat and i could never do the amazing race.
every.time we drove somewhere that day we got in a fight.
on a golf cart.
on vacation.
with no schedule.
we just don't do that stuff well.
we do other things well...and we survive that stuff when we have to, so it's ok.

we found ourselves a beach and plopped down.

we are trying to be intentional this week to take advantages where we can get one on one with our kids.
bailey and i searched for some shells while everyone else was playing by the water.

rebekah and i had to go to the bathroom...so we went to find one...just the 2 of us.
AND i let her drive the golf cart :-)
that ended up being her favorite part of the day.


the day felt so easy.
the kids felt so easy.
i guess because we don't have a "baby"...

i'm pretty sure we've never stayed on a beach for that many hours in a row.
i think it ended up being around 6 hours.

we brought a cooler of drinks and a few snacks.
we never ate "lunch" and no one noticed!

he was perfectly content to stay back by the chairs.
didn't want to go anywhere NEAR the water.
but, i will say, that i loved the moment where i forced him in.
i carried him.
i just felt like he needed to cool off...he was so hot.
he didn't like it...but was ok and holding onto me SO tightly.
we went a good distance out.
and then a wave crashed on us.
he didn't like it.

but it was a moment so FULL of LIFE!
me holding onto him so tightly.
him holding onto me so tightly.
me laughing.
him crying.
everyone else right there in the water with us.
the water crashing around us.
him thinking his world was crashing around him.
me knowing he was fine...my feet were on solid ground and my arms were firmly around him.

and he was laughing again minutes later.
and stayed on the shore watching for the rest of the time.

bailey loved being in the water with pat.
but had to come up and see me every few minutes :-)

headed back out...

joshua's giggle when he was driving the golf cart was so cute.

happy 12th anniversary, my love!
it was such a fun day together.

once we decided we were done, we headed back to the ferry.
then hopped in the car and drove an hour to Myrtle Beach, SC where we are staying the rest of the week.

we were all pretty tired...hot...sweaty...sandy...hungry.
we stopped at the grocery store on the way in and got a few groceries.
then...as we were unpacking, trying to feed the kids dinner, and get the kids bathed and into bed, sawyer fell and hit the coffee table HARD.
split his forehead open.
it was an ugly couple minutes.
i have proven that i can stay calm and handle emergencies well when i'm on my own.
but, apparently, when pat is there i flip out :-)

long story short...we found the hospital and waited 5 hours to get sawyer's sweet forehead stitched up.
sawyer did amazing.
AND the other kids did SO well handling it all, too!

not the plan for the evening.
but thankful there was a hospital relatively close.
and we have insurance to cover it.
and it was just a few stitches!

needless to say, it was a LONG day and night.
and we are taking it easy today.
oh, and we are ALL sunburned.
none of us are used to being on the beach for so many hours...we did re-apply sunscreen...but we are all hurting.

so...movies and a blanket with candy with my favorite people it is...

and we are all together, which is what matters!