Silver Lining in 2020 at Rosemary Beach
January 2020. “Mom, please call Ms. Whitney. Raney is on the phone and she can’t stop crying. Please find out what is going on.”
That is how we started 2020. My 15 year old’s best friend was diagnosed with lymphoma and was being admitted to the hospital to begin chemotherapy immediately. Weeks of treatment went by, a lot of tears, losing long, gorgeous white blond hair, and a uniting of a group of girlfriends to fight beside Raney. During the long periods of treatment, friends rallied to decorate her hospital room, serenade her outside of her window, and a failed attempt at crocheting – for some reason I thought the girls could all crochet beanies. Fast forward several months and the words “There are no signs of the disease anywhere.” What a blessing! It was time to celebrate.
My two daughters and I, along with my mother-in-law, take a yearly “girlcation.” We started visiting Rosemary Beach 6 years ago and it has become our magical getaway. So it was a natural choice for us to celebrate Raney’s victory there. White beaches, the ambiance of the town square and bike riding all contributed to the blessing of life itself.
So, what does any typical mom do? Rent a 12 passenger van, load up seven teenagers and two black labs, and drive 12 hours to Rosemary Beach for the week. Road trip! Of course it wasn’t that simple. This trip needed to be memorable. Each night had to be intentional.
The road trip went by fast. I zoned out so I would not have to listen to their music, but I loved hearing the laughter. Each girl had matching fanny packs with masks, hand sanitizer, tissues, and sanitizer wipes – thanks Covid. The intended 12-hour trip took 14 hours. Potty and gas breaks were comical getting in and out of the van with the gang of girls and labs.
Each of the girls’ moms prepared a dinner for us to take along. The family style meals we had together around the dining table were full of laughter. It is amazing what stories you hear when you are cleaning the kitchen and teenage girls are chatting. That night I explained the “Prize Table.” Goodie bags had been planned with gifts of face masks, candy, and funny t-shirts. Any time the girls did something great, they got to go to the prize table. Claire – best sunburn of the day. Go pick out a prize! Sarah – first one awake. You get a prize! Cate – you found the way back home. You deserve a prize!
Our days at the beach were wonderful. Complete with music, volleyball, soccer ball, and dancing. The girls had a beach bonfire one night. As they were making s’mores, they were each handed a gift - keychains with the latitude and longitude of Rosemary Beach on it. This led to a great discussion about finding direction in their lives, staying on the right path, and guaranteeing them unconditional love when they were lost.
I never know if my daughters are going to think I am cool or the most embarrassing being on earth. But one night it was confirmed that my scavenger hunt was indeed fun and not lame. Each girl unwrapped a Rosemary Beach t-shirt. The other girl with a matching t-shirt color was their partner for the game. Knowing Rosemary Beach well, it was easy to come up with hidden places and things for them to find. The girls were off on their bikes and each team had to text me pictures of each item found. It was hilarious to get the texts, with pics of someone hanging on monkey bars, making a pyramid with strangers, finding a black and white striped awning, and petting a dog.
Another night and another intentional gift. Thanks, Etsy. This night, the gifts were dainty gold necklaces with a wave on them. We talked about making waves and how influential the girls are to others.
The week went by fast. The last night, the girls decided on the gifts. They had a list of descriptive titles and had to pair each title with a girl. Beach Hair Don’t Care, Beach Vibes, Resting Beach Face, What the Shell, Salty Little Beach, Girls Just Wanna Have Sun, and Don’t Worry Beach Happy. Small trophies from Oriental Trading were handed out as each winner was announced with her title.
The drive back to Fort Worth ended in happy tears. We created lasting memories of intentional moments. The year of 2020 was not all bad. Silver linings – cancer free, friendships, road trip, and Rosemary Beach.
