I can’t remember the last time JP went to the beach with us. Anxiety was building for weeks. Change is hard. Leaving home and “abandoning” the weekly routine was terrifying.

The first night did NOT go well. He felt “weird” in the house. (We got an Airbnb this time, so it was new to us).

I was beyond frustrated and discouraged. Sitting at my pity party table for one (at midnight), I kept thinking, “Great. I’m gonna have to watch JP deep breathe and panic for three days!”

We all have our moments, right? It’s exhausting.

The following morning, he stayed in with my mom for a few hours to “recover” from the night, while my sister and I took Andrew and Preston to the beach.

Later that afternoon, we all came together and drove to Pawleys to crab. You can tell from my previous post that JP had a blast! He was really in his element.

Once they finished, he decided to join the other boys on the beach. I was shocked.

I was not emotionally prepared for what I saw when I walked over the bridge…

He was spinning and twirling and jumping around in the waves. Belly laughing.

Laurie and I cried real tears while snapping these pictures. You guys. I have not seen my kid this happy in MONTHS!

I’m constantly telling JP how he can’t unpack and live in his emotions + anxiety. “We have to push through,” I tell him.

He eventually crawled out of the water, exhausted. “I pushed through, mom.”

And I’m still smiling.