And one day we will die, And our ashes will fly from the aeroplane over the sea

I have to admit, I was really nervous leading into today.

A few months back, we planned to take my mom to Ocean City, one of her all-time favorite places. We figured we’d wait til the end of summer when the weather would be cooler and the beaches not as packed.

There were a lot of firsts that had to be cleared to do this: first time renting–and driving–a wheelchair-accessible van (it was actually super easy!), first time taking her out since she lost more of her mobility. First time having *any* sort of family outing in years. What if it didn’t go well? What if she had an issue while we were out? What if tempers flared from the stress of it all? What if some other great unknown cast a dark shadow on the day?

Fortunately, none of those “what ifs” ever came to fruition: with some planning, patience, a loving crew, and perhaps a small miracle, we did it. And it went off without a hitch.

And along with the nerve-wracking firsts there so many other wonderful ones we got to enjoy: the first time my mom left my grandmother’s property in 4+ years. The first time my nuclear family ever took a beach day together (#farmlife). The first time I’ve ever been down the shore with my father. Ever. (Again, #farmlife.) And while our primary objective was getting my mom back to the place she loves, I can’t help but beam every time I look at the photos of my dad (I’m not exaggerating when I say it was probably his first time back at the beach in 30 years) and the rest of our family. Genuine smiles. Genuine happiness. It was a day I think we all needed, and I’m so very thankful we were able to make it happen. ♥️