End of June and SSI 2018

We got home this past Saturday from our annual 4th of July trip to St. Simons Island. It was nice and great to be with family, but there is still an underlying sense of unease and pain. It's hard to have a good time really. I would laugh and enjoy myself for a few minutes and then feel overwhelming guilt for being able to enjoy this time when the Hughes family won't be able to do that again with their son. I hurt for Nicole and Jonathan daily. I've replayed the scenario in my head millions of times now, and I still can't understand why and how it happened. I can't unsee Worth doing chest compressions on a tiny 3 year old little boy. I can't unsee the grief on Nicole and Jonathan's faces as the events unfolded. It hurts. It makes everything hard to enjoy. I hope every day that they are 1 step through the grieving process and can move on in a new normal without being consumed by the grief and pain. I only feel a portion of what they feel, and I can't even imagine that pain. I had mild anxiety attacks watching other children at the beach and in the pool. I worried if I saw a child not near an adult. I tried to stop myself from doing this, but I can't. It will always be there.

Despite my occasional mental detachment from the vacation, and Ellie being diagnosed with pneumonia right before we left, it was a good week. The kids really enjoyed being with their cousins and we ate plenty of good food. We had a new family member joining us this year. Hardy was in full effect, eating sand, filling up swim diapers with poop, sand and water, and coming down with a sinus infection while there. He had a good first round at SSI I would say. With each year, it gets easier for Worth and I with our kids. They love the beach with the exception of Ellie not liking being in the water very much.


About the pneumonia- Ellie has been running fevers off and on since Memorial Day weekend. If you remember my post from that beach trip, she was sick the entire weekend. She ended up recovering, then started running a fever right before we left for Ft. Morgan. She vomited at Ft. Morgan, so we assumed it was a stomach bug. It was. She shared it with Mack and Emma once we came home. The problem was, they had it and were over it in 24 hours. Ellie ran a fever for 6 days with that virus. We took her to the doctor upon returning from Ft. Morgan and they said the strep test was negative and it was viral. She ended up somewhat recovering but had no energy and just wasn't even playing like she normally does. She sat around and barely moved most of the day. The week before we left for SSI, the girls had golf camp. The first day of golf camp she came home and collapsed on the couch with 102 fever, refusing food and drink, and fell deeply asleep. I immediately got her in to the pediatrician and Worth met me at the doctor's office. We were both really worried about her. They ran several tests including lots of blood work (which Ellie HATES.) She was so nervous at one point about the needles she threw up all over the office and me. Anyway, after going back and forth for testing at the pediatrician's office and the hospital, they discovered pneumonia in her left lung. They gave her antibiotic injections that day and then we started oral antibiotics for the next 7 days. She is much better now, and half way through the SSI trip, really began acting like herself again. She is currently at church camp right now and I hope to post some of the pictures they have on their website here this weekend. I cannot have contact with her, but from the site's pictures, it looks like she is having a blast.

Here are some pictures leading up to and on our SSI trip:

Found this picture on my phone. I guess Mack took some selfies. He also took some great pictures of the cutting board on my kitchen counter. 

We took the kids to see Incredibles 2. It was a great movie. 

They all worked on an art project together with somewhat  order and  teamwork. 

Emma won the putting contest at golf camp and Ellie wasn't happy about it. You would never know looking at this picture that Ellie had pneumonia at the time. 

Her collapse after golf camp day 1. I was so worried about her. 

The girls had their eye exams the day we left for SSI. They had to dialate Emma's eyes because her vision was slightly worse. She was not a fan. She did get new glasses out of it though. 

Ellie was being so sweet helping Emma to the car. Her eyes hurt in the sunlight after she was dilated. I gave her my sunglasses and told her to close her eyes walking to the car. Ellie helped her. 

Day 1 a the beach. While we ate dinner, Banks found the girls' ipod and camped out in their room watching you tube kids. 

Swimming was first on the list for the kids. 

Emma's splash

Grey was a lot of fun this year. 

Day 2, Emma and Mack were ready for beach time. 

Ellie still wasn't 100% at this point, but she loved helping Gray dig. 

Bo and Mack discussing hole digging options.

Worth and Emma checking out the water

Emma in her happy place. 

Bo caught some good waves too. 

BLT night!

Hardy is a chunk of sweetness. 

Ellie and cousin/uncle George having a conversation

Emma jean!

Mack and Bo got into somebody's fish catch or bait. I'm really not sure where that fish came from. 

3 generations of Tift men: Amos, Hardy, Daddy (Chappie)

Homemade ice cream night

Eating hamburgers and hot dogs waiting on a scoop of homemade ice cream. 

Monday night we had professional pictures taken. It was a mother's day gift to both of our moms. I took a few candids of our kids while we were taking the other photos. 

Mack was having a large time. 

Ellie was back in full effect by Monday night. 

That night, the grandparents kept all the babies so we could all enjoy a nice dinner sans kids. 

Mack ate his share of chocolate doughnuts every morning for breakfast, 

and had major attitude by midweek due to lack of sleep and no nap every day. 

Banks: "I need to go tee tee"
Kate: "Ok, go tee tee in the ocean!" 

The  highlight of the trip was a deep sea fishing trip with the Summers. Honestly, this was the best part of the week for me. I'm not really sure why, but I was completely able to relax and enjoy myself on this fishing trip. We all had so much fun! I'm so thankful Beth invited us on their annual excursion.
This is Mack, Emma, and Jake ready for the ride out. 

Walker and Anderson

The co captain was so great. She pulled out a poster to show the kids pictures of what they may catch. 

The boat ride itself was a hit with the kids. It was slightly overcast, which made for perfect weather and calm water. We went out on the Hampton River and could see several of the protected islands in the area. It was so cool. I couldn't help but thinking what the settlers though when they navigated their boats to this beautiful area hundreds of years ago. You could still see some ruins of houses on the islands that are no longer allowed to be inhabited. 

Emma took the fishing thing very seriously. She competes in every aspect of her life. 

I was worried Ellie would be all girly about the fishing, but she jumped on it like a pro. She had the best time. 

Mack/Hollywood trying to be patient. Not his best quality. 

Ellie caught a snake eel. It was pretty gross. You can barely see it hanging on the other side of the boat rail. 

Emma wanted to touch the baby shark Jake caught. 

Emma reeling in a big one. 

Another baby shark. The captain and co captain taught the kids how to tell if it was male or female, how old it was,  etc. They were amazing! 

Emma was a little timid about holding hers. 

Mack reel in a sting ray. 

He also caught a baby hammerhead shark that he would NOT touch. I had to beg him to get near it for a picture. 

My sweet anglers. 

Bowers and Summers Kids: Ellie, Mack, Anderson, Jake, Walker, Emma

Bowers fam group shot. 

Beth took this picture of Mack. Her phone takes much better pictures than mine does. 

Ellie wasn't about to get near the sting ray. 

Mack and Anderson decided to captain the boat while the rest of us fished. 

I think we were helping Mack reel this one in. 

Another shark coming in. 

Emma's first fish, a whiting. 

Double trouble

The boat ride back home. They enjoyed it so much. It was only 2 hours and it couldn't  have been more perfect with timing. Mack and Anderson did great, but would have probably not lasted another hour. 

Hardy was entertainment for everyone showing us his tricks. Clapping being his newest "thing" 

On the beach on the 4th. 

The Berrymans. Hard to get a good shot of Bo being still. 

Then there is trying to get a shot of all 6 of them being still at once = impossible! 

Mack and Banks played well together this year. 

Chancey cousins: Ellie, Mack, Molly Grace, Charlotte, Emma, and Hardy down front. 

Waiting on fireworks to start. They were shooting off rocketcoptors everywhere. 

Grey was feeling festive. 

The adults

Uncle George discussing guns with Jay

Our annual Benny's Red Barn night. The Whitleys came along with us this year. Worth and I were educating my college age cousin, Chancey (bottom right in picture) on wine drinking. 

The singer/magician put on quite a show at our table. 

Mack was enthralled

Bike day is always a hit. There was an incident with Mack because there was  only one XS bike and Bo got it first. This did not go over well with Mack. He had a hard lesson is sharing.

Mack eventually got the bike and even got Banks to push him. 

A rare shot of Ellie "in" the water.