Full Moon at the Bay

Posted byAbPosted inADHD, adoption, FASD, gratitude, marriage, New Brunswick, ParentingTags:, , , , ,

We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this weekend, halfway through our two-week visit to T’s grandparents in New Brunswick.

It was peak full moon – sounds about right 🤣 – and we enjoyed a morning barefoot walk on sandbars during low tide.

The breeze, cold salt water, soft sand and gentle waves were soothing.

We are very fortunate that T’s Grammy and Grandad live by the water and that our two-week visits in August are a summer tradition.

Low tide at the bay is mesmerizing during a full moon, with the receding water revealing more of the shoreline and you can walk on the shallow waterbed and look for treasures of the sea.

We dug up a bucket full of large quahogs and T has become quite good at finding them.

The hubby, with his parents’ help, made a delicious seafood chowder for dinner.

The hubby figured out a trick to find large quahogs – and once he taught us the trick, we dug up quite a haul!

T excitedly ran up and down the damp sand of the receded beach, searching for small crabs.

He found over 30 crabs hiding in the sand, only getting pinched once by a rightfully unamused crab.

T started lecturing the crab for not listening to him.

Someone not listening to instructions? I can’t imagine what that’s like.

The crabs were too small to eat, so we released them back in the water.

A full moon reminds us that most things in life, like the tides, are larger than us.

What’s within our control is to take things a day at a time, to focus on the big picture, to count our blessings, and to live with hope, humour, heart and adventure.

I’m reminded of these lessons every day as a parent; to see a complete child rather than get stuck on the complex symptoms of FASD.

For the joys, adventures, lessons and challenges we experience together with T, I am grateful.

47 thoughts on “Full Moon at the Bay”

  2. Someone not listening to instructions? I can’t imagine what that’s like. 😛

    Gosh, I can feeeeeeellll walking in the low tide barefoot after reading that description. Sounds like such a lovely time. And actually making chowder from creatures you found in the ocean… Of course that’s a thing people do. Still, I’m so amazed!

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    1. Yes, the irony is thick isn’t it? 🤣

      Low tide can be quite magical and fun and I can see why it brings out the locals to the beach to look for treasures of the sea. 💕

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  3. I love your photos – especially the photo of the you and hubby – Happy Anniversary – Sweet 16!

    You writing is so poetic – beautiful

    and always the amazing insight: “to see a complete child rather than get stuck on the complex symptoms of FASD.

    For the joys, adventures, lessons and challenges we experience together with T, I am grateful.”

    Just beautiful

    XOV

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    1. Thank you, Vickie. Sweet 16 is a nice way of putting it. 😊 I gotta say – and you know this so well – it’s not always easy to see the complete child. Some days, I really get stuck on the symptoms and all the unpleasant emotions that come with it. But thankful for the moments of clarity when I see the bigger picture!

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  5. I love your pictures when you visit your in laws. That’s fantastic T gets right in there and catches crabs and digs for quahogs. That chowder looks so delicious! As much as I love clams, they would kick me out of there for digging up too many. Lol

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    1. Thanks Diane! We’re very lucky to have this annual tradition with my in laws. 😊 They are loving and supportive of T and understanding of our daily challenges.

      A lot of the locals are out there digging during low tide. You’d fit right in!

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  10. Happy anniversary to you and your husband! How lovely that you got to celebrate it in such a relaxing setting. I’m just curious. So those quahogs ended up in the seafood chowder, right? If so, that is really cool to catch your own meal! T lecturing the crab is really funny. 😂

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    1. Thanks Wynne! It was a beautiful blood red moon. 😊 This journey is not always happy or peaceful but perspective really helps and I’m very thankful for that. 🙏

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    1. Thank you, Vicki! 😊 Never a dull moment – and a few harried and disregulated moments the last two days. But otherwise, it’s been wonderful time away so far. I don’t want summer to end! 🥰🙏

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    1. Thank you Jane! 😊 It’s wonderful that we have this annual tradition to look forward to each other.

      I’m very sorry and sad though about the wildfires in Moncton and Miramichi. Hope you haven’t been too impacted over where you are!

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      2. Stay safe! 🙏 I hear there’s a wildfire situation in Bathurst now, which is the town next to us.

        We were considering doing a hike in Mount Carleton but it’s so damn hot. So maybe next summer. 🤣

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    1. Thanks Deb! 😊 We’re fortunate to have this annual tradition and for it to fall during the same time as our anniversary.

      Sending you all my best with your big move. Very excited and happy for you!

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  16. happy anniversary to both of you, and here’s to many more years ahead. what a beautiful place and how lucky that you are able to make the annual trip there to see t’s grandparents. the soup must be absolutely amazing. that was so funny about t’s note that the crabs were not following the rules. ) p.s. have you ever read the book or seen the show about the Durrell family? the kids and their mom moved to Greece from England to make a new life after the war, and one son became enthralled with the natural world and grew up to be an writer and naturalist. (and the author of this an other books). they are eccentrics and hilarious and I think you and hubs would enjoy it, and even t as he gets older. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Family_and_Other_Animals

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    1. Thanks Beth! 😊 We’re very fortunate to have this annual tradition and for our anniversary to fall during our visit.

      I have not heard of nor read the book. But it sounds wonderful and I’ve placed a hold for it at our library. Will let you know what I think. I love autobiographies and memories of quirky family types!

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    1. Thank you, Pete! 😊 It’s been a wonderful getaway, not without harried and disregulated moments, but overall grateful for this time away together. Yes, the crab lecture was ironic amusement to behold.

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