Things I remember:
Christmas night- not feeling fully packed as Sarah and me went to see Candy Cane Lane. Being completely dazed, as we had spent five full days together and gathering with Dad and Mary Kay and then Linda.
Opening the garage door and seeing a thick layer of fog. Glad the airport was only seven minutes away.
Entering the check-in area and immediately seeing the Fernandezes, who beat us even though they came from an hour away.
Arriving in Galveston and the kids wanting to go swimming.
Taking them outside in 60 degree and windy conditions.
Having dinner together in the hotel lobby. Many in our party seemed cranky, as we'd all awoken very early that morning.
Greg, Stacy, and Linda playing cribbage.
Violet hurt her ankle running in the hall with Naomi. Luckily, it did not affect her much during the cruise.
Chatting with Linda about my cruise anxiety in the lobby on departure day.
Taking a walk in Galveston with some of the Fernandezes shortly before Ben drove us to the port.
The long faces of travelers coming off the Escape and the chaotic sight of the port.
The traffic attendant's wide eyes and her hands slapping Ben's car as she ordered him to stop.
Puzzling at Linda as she drank her water before going through port security.
Climbing our way up to the Escape, then realizing that all we had to do was check-in and confirm that we'd watched the safety video (multiple times).
Making our way to the pool deck as we boarded and waited for our room to be ready.
Seeing our room for the first time and my anxiety kicking in to the point where I felt like I had to get off the ship. This was our room for the next week? We couldn't even fit our suitcases.
Dinner the first night with everyone and getting the ducky outfit.
Having Linda's suitcase outside our room and no way to get it to her
Realizing for the first time that the ship was moving and getting used to that feeling.
Thinking that a great band was playing late into the night. Turns out it was Raul Rojas, a guitar player/"band in a box" who sang and played guitar along to backing tracks. I think I heard Smooth by Santana at least half a dozen times.
Feelings on the trip:
Completely overwhelmed and anxious because Levi transformed from a reasonably easygoing kid into an anxious and mean and violent version of himself. He repeatedly kicked and screamed and yelled at everyone.
Grateful for family. Ben took Levi a few times to play chess and they seemed to have a good dynamic going. Naomi and Violet were such pals that Levi grew jealous.
I have to realize that Levi was not himself on this trip, probably due to anxiety. While he's been whiny and complainy afterward, the kicking and violent kid is pretty much gone.
The night I went out in my pajamas as everyone else was sleeping. I thought, no big deal. But everyone else was in their finest. I did not pack very well and was kind of resentful about it. Sarah could have told me about all the going out and packing a couple polo shirts.
The four days of shore trips were a mixed bag. The excursion in Roatan was the highlight, but the other ones were either duds or a very long walk to the entrance. Not to mention just getting the kids ready four days in a row was exhausting. We figured out that the room could be made larger by putting the suitcases under the bed, but any time we all had to get ready at the same time was nightmarish.
Glad I wasn't in a studio lounge. Linda's room did not have a window and was very small.
