We have returned from our adventure on the river in one piece. I have arrived home with a new love for my pillow, my shower, and a strong cup of coffee. We all managed to still like each other – even after sharing the same living space for four days. I’d even be within the walls of the truth by saying that I still adore my in-laws despite the fact that they wouldn’t let me do anything to help, but whatever! I waited until they took the kids to the park and then I cleaned my happy ass off! Pfffttt!
We enjoyed all that the beach had to offer for November, saw some sea turtle going through rehab, and ate our weight in sea food. We shopped, saw a bad teeny-bopper movie, watched our kids lose all self control and embrace the spoiling that is their grandparents, and even made friends with a stray cat with no tail and a bad leg.
Jacob, our animal-loving son, made friends with a craw fish he saw on the buffet on Thanksgiving. Though the thing had been boiled and was no longer living, Jacob insisted on taking him home. We wrapped him in a paper towel and Jacob carted his new friend back to the condo with a big smile on his face.
I worried that he would lose it on the way back from the restaurant and I’d find this over-boiled, dried up, horrible thing in my car next week as I sit in carpool. Luckily, it made it back to the condo in one piece and spent an evening in the fridge. The next day, despite Hubby’s belief that this was ridiculous, we decided that the craw fish needed to be ‘released’ back into the wild.
He was so proud of this little mud bug, but didn’t quite understand that releasing him meant that he would ‘float’ away to find his family. But, we let him go anyway. We went down to the dock, said our good-bye’s, and Jacob flung his craw fish into the river.
I worried that he would lose it on the way back from the restaurant and I’d find this over-boiled, dried up, horrible thing in my car next week as I sit in carpool. Luckily, it made it back to the condo in one piece and spent an evening in the fridge. The next day, despite Hubby’s belief that this was ridiculous, we decided that the craw fish needed to be ‘released’ back into the wild. 
He was so proud of this little mud bug, but didn’t quite understand that releasing him meant that he would ‘float’ away to find his family. But, we let him go anyway. We went down to the dock, said our good-bye’s, and Jacob flung his craw fish into the river. We waited for him to float away…
and, we waited…
He didn’t move much…
And, i wouldn’t exactly classify what he did do as ‘floating away’…
But, it was still very dramatic and upsetting for a three year old boy.
Good bye, Craw Fish! I bet you never knew you’d go from the sea, to the buffet, to fridge, to the heart of a little boy, and back to sea again.
But, it was still very dramatic and upsetting for a three year old boy. 
Good bye, Craw Fish! I bet you never knew you’d go from the sea, to the buffet, to fridge, to the heart of a little boy, and back to sea again. Yea, yea. Circle of life and whatnot.
