Derek's Birthday

Derek's birthday was celebrated on two days (lucky duck!). We began celebrating on Saturday by going to Fernandina for the day with his parents. We went to Fort Clinch and watched the re-enactment of the soldiers, went out to eat, and then went on a boat ride.

The boat ride was great, up until a bad storm came upon us. We had been out on the boat for about an hour and a half when we were overtaken by the rain and waves. The captain's assistant came over and stayed with me during the worst of the event, because I was holding Cherish. Derek felt as if the boat has going to split in half. (Flat bottom boat smacking hard over the waves....) The worst part was that I could see fear in the captain and his assistant. I could hear it in the voice of the assistant as she kept repeating instructions to the people as to what to do if we flipped. NOT what I was wanting to hear.... However, we arrived safety back at port--to the VERY LOUD cheering of the passengers.

Here are some pictures. There is an absence of pictures of the storm, as I was clinging onto Cherish and to a pole--so as to remain upright.

Fort Clinch:

These poor guys were in wool!

Nanny singing along:

The entertainer on the boat:

Um...at the time I didn't notice those clouds rolling in:

Here I was thinking,

"Oh, look at the clouds! How beautiful!":

The captain's assistant said (long before we knew we would be in the storm): "And if anything happens to this boat, do not swim to Snake Island! This island has the greatest population of rattlesnakes of anywhere else in the United States." !!!! I was thinking of this when the assistant was giving out instructions during the storm!

"Should I be worried?"

Camera went away and came back out when all was safe.

Here we are back at Pappy and Nanny's house celebrating Derek's birthday:

Then, on Monday (he's real birthday) we went out to eat before celebrating again. Derek liked the shirt I wore for him, so he kept taking pictures. (Excuse my face--I was embarrassed, and people were looking at us and laughing!)

Back at home, Cherish excitedly gave her daddy some of her most prized possessions (like the gifts she had gotten for her half-birthday just a few days prior). Love is wanting to give someone else what you REALLY, REALLY LIKE without giving it a second thought! ☺