Monday, March 03, 2008

What can I say about sunday?

Just that it was another wonderful day here for us.

Started out our day just like any other...breakfast in the lobby of the Lodge with the usual coffee, bagels, danish and donuts (I'm sure I've gained a couple pounds so far this trip but that's ok because I'll get right back on my program when I get home later this week, that's the beauty of being on Weight Watchers). We made a little pit stop in town just outside the back gate of the base so that Robert could get a haircut since he goes back to work tomorrow and I decided it would be a good time to get Alex his hair cut too since we were there. The lady gave him a cute hair cut with a 'flip' and he really looks good and liked it a lot. Just look at that adorable sun kissed face, how can you not love that?

We drove up to the north shore and stopped along the way to try out the famous north shore shrimp shack for lunch. Jim says that Dixie Crossroads in Titusville is still the best shrimp he's ever had!!

We decided to go back to Turtle Bay so that Jim and Robert could get some snorkeling in and then we could enjoy the pool there. Thought I'd share 2 videos today, one is at the beach and I panned out to show the hotel overlooking the little bay area where you can snorkel and there are turtles out there which is why it's called Turtle Bay resort, I guess. :-) The other video is at the pool and boy does Alex love that slide in the smaller of the 2 pools there. I really enjoyed watching Alex have fun with his dad and brother today.

I would have to say that one of the really great highlights of today was the amazing show we got to see out in the waters just beyond the little bay area on the beach. I couldn't believe my eyes at first when I saw the water spouts in the distance but there they were in all their glory...WHALES!! I was dumbfounded when I saw the first one and Jim and Robert had just come out of the water when I told them and the 3 of us stood there and watched them for a while and we got to see several whales breach the surface. What an incredible sight to see with your own eyes and it only proves that just when I thought this day couldn't get any better to share that with Jim and Robert was beyond exciting for me! God is so good! Robert wore his snorkeling shirt to protect himself from any more sunburn because he sure did get a lot of color at the beach yesterday. Doesn't he look great? Yeah, ok...I'm partial, he's my kid after all.

As always Alex managed to make some friends and played in the sand digging and just had a blast. At one point I turned to check on him and saw that the mom of the other kids bought ice cream for everyone, including Alex...I thought that was so sweet of her and Alex was just as happy as could be, can you tell? They put the cute paper umbrellas on top of the ice pops, really funny but I guess everything must be tropical around here, huh?
Oh yeah, I'm on this vacation too and every once in a while someone else grabs the camera and takes a picture of me. Man, I could have stayed there for hours and hours...the sun, the breeze, the sound of the ocean surf in the background, so relaxing.
By far this is my favorite photo of the day and I will most likely print this out in 5X7 for my scrapbook, maybe even 8X10, not sure yet. How can I explain the way my heart feels when I see my little boy reunited with his big brother and getting to spend time like this with him? I don't know if I can even find the words to describe what I feel when I watch them together because no words can adequately share the pure joy this brings me.Right now as I finish blogging it is just after 11pm in Hawaii and Jim just came in from the courtyard and is in bed. Robert and Alex are sound asleep and they look so peaceful and so content. Tomorrow morning Robert goes back to work at 7am and will most likely have to work at least until 1pm maybe a bit later (we are hoping they let them off early tomorrow since most of them still have family here). These past few days that we have gotten to spend together with uninterrupted and really special QUALITY family time have meant so much to me and I'm so happy that we have had this time here with Robert to celebrate his homecoming from Iraq. I look at him and the other Marines here and think of what they must all have endured over the past 7 months while the rest of us enjoyed our freedom, our warm beds every night, our 3 square meals a day, our televisions and other entertainment and just the every day things that some tend to take for granted. I'm so grateful that they are all back and even though they are all going back to work in a few short hours I am relieved that for now they are all back safe and sound and at the very least I know that Robert will not have to deploy again and that he has served his country proudly with 2 tours of duty overseas.

Tomorrow we will just be relaxing and not doing too much while we wait for Robert to be off duty for the day and then maybe we'll take in some shopping or whatever else he wants to do. I know that he hasn't spent one night in his barracks yet because he has stayed with us at the Lodge ever since he stepped off the plane so I suppose at some point he will want to get some things for his room and start setting things up for himself there. For now, however...I am happy and very content in that I can look over my shoulder and see him sleeping comfortably here in the room with us.

Until tomorrow....

6 comments:

SWEETPEA37814 said...

Linda
I am so enjoying the pics and videos.Thank You so much for taking the time to share with us.I am so happy for you, the great time you are having with your family.
Take Care Sherrie

Scrappy Gal said...

OH wow.....your blog posts make me feel like I'm really there. You describe it all so great! I'm envious, esp when I look out the windows here, but your happiness is definitely contagious!

Anonymous said...

"Wee!" I love Alex's comment coming down the slide. I think that sums up the fun and excitement of the day. :) What a blessing that you have all been together since Robert arrived.

I'm so happy for all of you! (HUGS)

Mary

mama j said...

So glad you had yet, another, incredible day!!!!! All of you deserve it-you're such an amazing Mom-full of patience and positive attitude....You are admired....the waiting has been hard, I'm sure, but you've never once complained!

Anonymous said...

fantastic,awesome,great I love to sit here and read everything you write you are gifted,how excited I was when you call me and tell me about the whales,they came out of the water from our God I wont forget myself,I remember the gu y on the boat had told me they were not really in season??well I saw the biggest one and when we went to sea world I had tears when I saw Shamu,thank you again for coming with to Sea World It was amazing.

Ginger said...

The videos are awesome! I love that I get to giggle at them with you. Looks like it was beautiful there.