Charmed by the Sea Kids

“Psst, mom, wake up!” Emmy whispered while lightly brushing her fingertip across her mother’s arm. Her mom startled awake causing Emmy to jump back and giggle. “Emmy, what are you doing up? It’s not even light out yet. Go back to bed,” her mother scolded and then yawned and rolled over. “But mom! Today’s the day! We’ve GOT to get up NOW! The sun is starting to rise and we CAN’T be late,” Emmy said in an excited whisper as to not wake up her dad (who was snoring quite loudly) and her little brother who was 3 years old and was curled up in between their parents. How Ian still gets away with sleeping in mom & dad’s bed, Emmy didn’t know. She gave a little sigh as a twinge of jealousy swept through her but her excitement over what the day held quickly swept away the jealous feelings. “Oh! I almost forgot!” said Emmy’s mom as she sat up. She stretched and looked at the clock. “I suppose I should get up and get ready,” she said with a smile. While Emmy’s mom got ready to go, Emmy paced the floor by the front door. “I can’t believe today is FINALLY here,” Emmy thought to herself. “I hope we get to see some hatchlings!” Today was the first day that Emmy and her mom were volunteering with their local turtle patrol. Ever since Emmy and her mom saw two turtle patrol volunteers walking the beach at sunrise last month, she’d been begging to walk with them. Thankfully, her mom stopped them one morning and asked them for information as to how to volunteer with the club. “Ok Emmy, let’s go!” her mom whispered as she came up behind Emmy. She grabbed her beach visor off the hook and put it on her head over her messy bun. “Are you sure you’re going to be warm enough in that,” her mom asked as she glanced at Emmy’s tank top and shorts that she had put on over her swimsuit. “Why don’t you grab a sweatshirt just in case? The beach is chilly this time of day.” Emmy quickly ran to her room, grabbed her favorite sweatshirt off her bean bag and ran back to the front door. “Let’s go! Let’s go!! We can’t be late!” she said with her big blue eyes sparkling and her blond ponytail bouncing as she jumped up and down while waiting for her mom to open the door. Emmy’s mom FINALLY decided that they had everything they needed and opened the door. Emmy ran out in front of her mom, opened the “Beach Jeep’s” door, climbed into her booster seat and buckled up. On the way to the beach Emmy watched the sun start to rise over the palm trees. She thought about how much her life had changed since she and her family had moved to Florida. Just a few months ago, right before her sixth birthday, they loaded up their belongings and their cat and left the cold, snowy state of Vermont and settled in sunny, tropical Florida. Since arriving, they have been able to have all sorts of fun and exciting adventures like the one that they were going on today.