Sand Beneath Our Toes

Well, we are home, we left our footprints in the sand...only to be washed away moments later by the salty sea. The kids were so excited they ran into the ocean with their clothes on!
We Moms are OVERLY cautious sometimes and it took me a full day of the sand and sea to be at ease with my deaf children running around with no processors on. Brook played behind me and Gage in front and I found myself turning from front to back making sure they were still there, even though I had family there to help. I forgot how LOUD the ocean really is, and I found it hard to hear anything other than the waves crashing before us on the shore. I watched Brook build her sand castles and I watched Gage dragging people off the shore line to come see his jellyfish museum. He had collected like six jellyfish in his bucket and he wanted everyone to come see them.

I watched him speak to everyone that passed in his soft voice, he didn't realize he needed to elevate his voice out there since he had no idea how loud it was. I'd point up and say "louder" and he'd raise his voice. I watched him study the careworn faces of the elderly, the overly tanned faces of those teenage girls, and I'm sure he smelled the alcohol from some of the people's breath. These are things we may not even note while at the beach. I had to help him once when I noticed a lady wearing reflective sunglasses and she seemed to be in need of some dental work. I knew that would throw him off so I had to go over and help interpret for him then. We had so much fun and were sad to have to return. We all got along until that last hour, I actually said these words "can you please NOT TALK for ten minutes!" All you moms know how we never imagined we would ever say such a thing about our deaf children, but I have to admit...I did!!!.....more later