One of the funniest things that happened during the weekend was when my Dad decided to get the boat out. Mom and Dad have an awesome neighbor who let them borrow a towable tube that Dad was able to tie behind the boat for the kids to ride.
At first, everyone was so excited to try it. Our son got on it with my husband but when Dad started to pull them, we weren't quite sure if he was having fun. We tried to read his little face but it was too hard to tell if he was squinting from the water splashing in his eyes, or from worry. The ride was over and we pulled the tube back towards the boat. "Did you like it?! Did you have fun Buddy?!" We tried to get a reaction out of him but he seemed to be more relieved to be climbing back into the boat than anything.
My husband stayed on the tube so my brother decided to hop on it with him. Anyone who knows my brother knows that he is about as wild as they get. If you're even questioning doing something crazy like ohhhh say - jumping off a bridge - he's the guy that goes flying past you as you stand there thinking about it.
My Dad sat ready at the wheel and had a smile from ear to ear when my husband and my brother gave him the "thumbs up." Dad gunned it. He sped up and started to turn so that the guys were all but flying through the air. They were getting bounced all around and slamming against the water but both refused to let go. We all sat in the boat laughing so hard at the two of them that it was hard to breathe.
What we weren't thinking about though was what was going on through the minds of the six little ones who were in the boat with us. Our four kids and my brother's two children must have had very different thoughts and images than we did.
When we looked at the kids and asked who wanted to go next you could have heard crickets. Our oldest son said, "Uhhhh, that's ok - I don't need a turn!" Round and round we went trying to convince them that we would never go that fast with them riding.
My niece was the fearless one and said, "I'll go!" as she popped her four year old little self right beside my brother on the tube. We watched as they had the best time.
Little by little, the kids worked up the courage to take their turns and one by one, each had a blast.
It was so great to get together with the whole family and I wish we could do it more often. Life can get wild and crazy and sometimes even a little rough. It's good to know though that regardless of what may come, family and friends will be there to help you hold on...and hopefully laugh a little along the ride.