Dauphin Island East

Adventures nourish the spirit like nothing else in life. The boys and I have been missing daddy while he’s working in another part of the state, so we decided to intentionally reconnect by driving down to visit him. As a mom, we’re usually responsible for planning and organizing. Most will understand that packing for a trip can be very complicated if we allow it to be. There are so many variables to consider and so much preparation needed – clothing and toiletries, snacks for everyone, gas for the car, activities to pass the time. This can dissuade us from taking on those spontaneous getaways.

I want to encourage you to look past the logistics of things and focus on your emotional fulfillment. I am guilty of viewing this backwards at times, but thankfully I have an adventurous family that is always ready to go. I’ve learned to throw some things in a bag, load up the car and head out for a beautiful journey. To me, beautiful does not mean perfect. It typically is very messy. But there’s so much beauty to be found in the mess. When we learn to release the things that are not fueling our spirit, we can focus on what our hearts truly need. In the end, if your intentions are good, things will come together to create a lasting experience and wonderful memories.

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We are almost always late, and never stick to a plan well. I wait until the tank is almost on empty to stop and refuel. I don’t pack enough snacks and we drink all the water within about ten minutes. Our two big dogs take up all the trunk space and drool over the seats onto the boys’ backs. But no matter what it looks like on the outside, we are TOGETHER. And that’s all a family needs. I enjoy peace while the boys stare out the window and eventually fall asleep. I embrace their conversations and interesting questions and amazing perspective on things. I feel content as they check on the dogs and try to get closer to them. I’ve learned that the best way to spend time driving for a while is in prayer. There aren’t as many distractions and I can openly talk with God. I try to speak honestly and just tell him what my thoughts are. What my dreams are, my concerns, or my perceived limitations. I ask him to keep us safe and guide us in the direction of his will. While I do pray often, I embrace these extra opportunities to connect with God while watching the landscapes of his beautiful creation pass us by.

When we finally got there the boys jumped out of our (slowly) moving car and into their daddy’s arms. Both boys and both dogs couldn’t contain their excitement. They’ve never been away from him for 5 days before, and I could immediately see the missing pieces of their spirits rejoined. While it’s hard to be separated, it makes you appreciate the time together so much more.

After some much needed rest, we woke up with a taste for adventure. A little more driving led us over Mobile Bay and onto Dauphin Island. I’m really not sure why we live in a city away from the beach. All four of us love the ocean, and my children are incredibly passionate about it. The literal definition of ‘water babies.’ Their faces light up when they see the shore and they run as fast as possible to dive in. By the time the parents catch up, they’re splashing and swimming and free in spirit. Neither of them have ever been afraid of water, and at age 8, Trent’s life plan is to live in either Hawaii or Mexico. He wants to be an ocean animal photographer. Robby wants to be with him and handle all of his camera gear, boat repairs, set building, etc. I think it’s an awesome plan.

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I have to pull everyone out to eat twice that day, and twice the next. No matter how hot it is or how tired they are, the boys will stay in the ocean or lay in the sand as long as possible. Most of our beach meals come from a small farmer’s market that we passed driving in from Mobile. Fresh peaches, nectarines, apples, berries or bananas can fill you up while keeping everyone energized and light footed. We stock a big cooler with cold drinks and popsicles for snacks throughout the day. Other meals were at a great little restaurant on the water, JT’s Sunset Grill, where we could sit on the pier in our bathing suits and enjoy seafood caught on site. It’s laid back atmosphere was perfect for us to watch fishing boats dock and play horseshoe while taking a break from the ocean.

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Our adventures don’t stop when the sun goes down though. We quickly made friends with another family and there were kids running around on the beach until almost midnight. Sand crabs are elusive and blend in with the terrain. I love to see how excited the boys get chasing after them with their nets and flash lights. We watch them interact and learn about their ways before releasing them back home on the shore, careful not to hurt a single one.

We stopped to grab cold shaved ice, and even though the line was around the building, we were happy to just be together. We ate our fruit at a shady park to get out of the sun for a bit, and explored a giant sand dune by the bay. We watched the barges and the ferry coming in. We explored historic Fort Gaines and the boys were inspired to pretend they were back in time during an intense battle. We met kind people and, thanks to our beautiful Akitas, had lots of new friends approach us to ask questions and have conversation. The picture above captures a mom who is tired, hot, but so filled with gratitude for her family and their love.

In the end, we waited too late to leave and ended up going back to the hotel for a few hours of sleep. I had to wake up at 3am and get on the road so we could get home in time for me to go to work at 8am after dropping the boys off at their camp for the day. I was tired and our car was a mess and all of our clothes were dirty and sand was everywhere, but my heart was AT PEACE. The contentment from a meaningful few days can stick with you for much longer. My children are fulfilled from spontaneous exploration, and their minds and bodies are refueled. They know they are loved – and our family is love.