Beach Dinner

I took the boys to the beach for dinner last night.  Packed up some sandwiches and cookies, and froze some water in a jug.  2 big beach towels, a few buckets and shovels, and we were on our way.  The "nice" beach is about 15 minutes from our house.  It's easy to forget that we live on an island when we deal with all the day to day congestion of people and stores.  But it's true, our island is flanked by beaches- some are really nasty and littered with glass and tampons.  But some are really nice.  Like the one we went to for dinner last night.  Gateway beach, or "Great Kills Park".   It's very well kept.
We got there around 5:15ish.  First we set down our things and went straight to the water.  I am TERRIFIED of the ocean.  I'm scared of it's enormous power, and the creepy crawly, and big scary creatures that inhabit it.  My second born son, however, is not.  He ran straight for the waves without a second thought.  My first born was in a panic, worried about his little brother.  I swallowed the lump in my throat and repeatedly reassured him that his brother was fine.  I don't want to pass my phobia on to him.... well, that's not true- I'd LOVE to pass it on and keep him safe!  But, I know that would be wrong, so I suck it up and endure my inner panic attacks as the waves repeatedly tossed him on his head and covered him in seaweed.  After each pummeling, my baby would laugh hysterically, look up at me and say, "That was ANOTHER good ride Mommy!!" ... maniac.
It was a good time overall.  We ate cheese sandwiches, and the boys loved taking their first outdoor showers.   There was very little stress and/or reprimanding.  The sun starting setting behind us over the tall grass of the dunes.  We took our time packing up and goin.  I made a few last trips down to the water to rinse our buckets and shovels.  As I walked back up the hill toward our spot, I noticed our foot prints.  Two sets of little prints in haphazard lines, and then mine, in steady straight lines leading to and from the shore, showing evidence of several trips for water to wet the sand to good castle consistency.
As I looked back at my footprints in contrast to the boys', I fully accepted a fact that I've thought about for years...
I have really big feet.