I drag my surfboard through the sand. A big smile on my face, my arms not used to carrying so much anymore.
"Skylar! Sierra! Wait!" I call out to my older siblings.
Sierra smiles and waits for me where the waves rush to her and the water reaches her ankles.
"Hurry up, Sav. Skylar's already paddling." She says as I catch up with her.
She looks as someone calls out our names.
"And Nate is here too." She adds, urging me to move faster.
I look to my right and see Nate and the others coming towards us.
I carry my board and run after Sierra. I can't believe I get to do this again.
Gail and Tasha catch up and we run to the water. Faley and the twins already left for work yesterday so we're left to surf together.
"Come on and show off, Sav!" Nate calls out.
I smile and paddle hard, catching up with the others. Soon, we're up and riding the waves, laughing and enjoying the salty air and heat on our skin.
We surf and swim for hours and I'm so glad with how this year turned out so far. It's still the first week but God is so good.
"Proud of you, Savannah." Sierra says as we drag our boards onto the beach and gather around the platform.
I beam at her. "Thanks. Real glad you could come and surf with us today."
She shrugs. "It's been a while."
We watch as the sun sets then decide to go to the Reese's for movie night. Sierra and Skylar can't though and need to go back to the city in the morning.
Before they leave, they give me tight hugs and I'm so glad I can feel them.
"Be smart and hard to get." Sierra whispers with an amused smile.
"Huh?"
She waves goodbye and winks, Skylar winking and waving too.
I shake my head and smile, following Gail and Tasha into the living room where Nate's fixing up movies to watch.
We decide to do a Disney marathon. We blindfold one of us, lay out the movies and spin the person. Whichever Disney movie the person ends up pointing at will be the one to be watched.
"We'll get some food and drinks." Tasha says, as Toy Story is put into the dvd player.
She urges Gail to hurry and they head out.
Nate sits beside me and we wait for the two to come back.
"Savannah?"
I look at him and see a nervous smile on his face.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"I was wondering and praying real hard the other day. And I had this prompting again after the surfboard making we did at the shed. I can't believe I've been blind and hard headed to this." He starts out softly.
"Nate. What're you talking about?" I ask, really confused with where he's going.
"I wanted to let go and know who I'd be with. I don't want to be dragged or affected so much by my emotions and lead it in the wrong way. I once asked God why everything seemed to revolve around you. He gave me a reason the other day."
I don't want him to continue but I don't have the guts to say anything. I'm in utter shock.
"The girl I've been running from is the one who I'll be running the rest of this race of life with." He says with a small laugh. "I know and don't expect anything to happen right now, but I already talked and asked your family and everyone in the beach family. We'll take it one step at a time. If that's okay with you?"
I find myself smiling real wide as he finishes.
"Yes, Nate. But you have a lot of proving to do." I say with a tease.
He puts a hand to his heart and bows his head slightly. "I accept the challenge milady."
Tasha and Gail get back and I have a feeling they were eavesdropping.
"So, ready to start the movie?" Gail asks a little too bubbly.
I laugh. "Ready."
***
The night went on with sing alongs and old childhood emotions. I love Disney.
Today, mom is taking me to Malibu Wildlife. I can't wait to explore the place from this view and not in a wheelchair.
"Ready?" Mom asks, peeking her head inside my room.
I look at her and nod.
I can change myself and fix up my hair on my own now. I never realized how hard it was or rather how easy it was before it all happened.
Sometimes we do take the things we have for granted. I will never take my legs and arms and whole body or all the blessings God has given me.
Soon mom and I are on the way to the wildlife center.
"Mom, have you talked to Julia lately?" I ask, the case still on my mind. It hasn't exactly been resolved and is still under process.
To my surprise, mom nods.
"You'll be going back to school in February. For now, the research team will compile what they can and with the help of your friends, will add to their records with you staying underwater for five minutes straight without need of air." She reports. "She's also real glad you're okay and that a big miracle has been seen in your life. God will use you mightily."
I smile. "Amen to that."
We reach the wildlife center and I run up the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
I emerge just as mom steps out from the elevator.
"Hi Keira and-" Mandy stops and looks at me in awe. "Savannah?"
I nod happily and rush to hug her.
"Wow." She breathes out. "Hope will actually be released soon. We didn't expect it to be so soon or at all. God sure is doing a lot of miracles."
I agree with her and walk over to where Hope swims around. She sees me and clicks her happy clicks.
"I can swim with her." I say with realization.
Mandy smiles and nods. "You can now and when we release her."
"When will she be released?" Mom asks before heading over to the seal lions.
"This Friday. Will you be there?" Mandy asks mom.
Mom looks at me and smiles. "Yes we will."
I follow Mandy to where I can borrow a suit to swim with Hope.
I sit at the edge of the board and look at the young dolphin.
She circles and waits for me to join her and I slip in.
I let myself fall in the water and Hope enjoys swimming around me.
I swim along with her for about two hours.
"How do you feel?"
I look up and see a familiar face.
"Fila! Grace!" I exclaim clamouring onto the board.
Grace and Fila lean against the wall and look down on us.
"Someone's real happy." Grace says softly.
I nod and laugh as Hope splashes me.
"Really really happy." I say.
"We miss seeing you around. Soon okay?" Fila says.
"Yes. Soon." I reply.
I get up and say goodbye to Hope. We head to where mom's training a new sea lion.
"Wow, mom." I comment as he dives after her whistle.
She turns to look at me and smiles. "They're good, huh? Why don't you visit the other building? You haven't really been around there. Hello, Fila, Grace."
They say hi to my mom then we head to the other building where a dolphins show is about to start.
"Shall we watch?" I ask the two girls.
They smile and nod. We find a place to sit and watch the show.
The three dolphins jump and splash, doing tricks the way they're trained and the crowd claps and cheers for them.
After the dolphin show, we head to the open air habitats where other animals are kept. We explore the area and see a variety of birds too.
"Didn't realize how much I was missing when I was bound to a wheelchair." I say as we pass the habitat for tigers.
"Well, at least you had an experience and you know and learned a lot of things." Grace says.
We count as many birds as we can but lose track. The different monkeys screech and watch us as we pass.
"So many animals are growing in population. I'm so glad WWF and other organizations are helping everyone improve the world and the animals' population." Fila says.
"Yeah. Some used to be near extinction but now they're growing. God is good." I say.
We finish touring the habitats and head back to the main building.
We look at the fish and other animals inside the glassed cages or aquariums. Once we're in the training area again, mom's ready and waiting for us.
"How'd you like it?" She asks with a smile.
"I love it. It's like a zoo but with natural like habitats." I say.
"Yes. Trying to repopulate and care for the animals." Mom says. "Now, come on. We should get going. Might be late for dinner."
Grace and Fila say goodbye and mom and I head home.
"I can't wait for Friday!" I tell mom.
She nods and smiles. "Me too. It's been a while since I last saw a dolphin released."
"You saw a dolphin released?"
Mom laughs. "Yes. Part of my work."
We reach home as the sun sets and mom cooks us dinner.
Rose and Oak bound in, five little labrador-retriever pups following.
"And where have all of you been?" I ask with a smile.
Oak barks and snuggles against me.
"You big baby." I say with a laugh.
I head to my room and the dogs follow. I named the puppies Daisy, Pansy, Anemone, Aster, and Quince. Yes, they're all after flowers.
They have new beds in the living room but they yap and run around my room anyway.
"Well aren't you all a bunch of mischievous pups?" I ask, Daisy and Aster running around my legs.
"I'm starting to think I should give some of the pups to the other kids." I say as the dogs and I head into the living room.
Mom nods and thinks. "I think that's a good idea. I'll call Marissa and Charity."
"Okay, mom. For now, I'll make some memories with these pups." I say, playing with the dogs.
Mom sets up the table and I help fix the food. We feed the dogs then sit and pray.
"God, thank you for mom and the food set before us. Thank you for the good health, strength and nourishment. Thank you for guiding dad, Skylar and Sierra too. Amen." I pray.
We eat and dig in, talking about the day, our plans for this week and school. College is such a big thing, and I didn't realize it until mom and I had this 'real talk.'
"One day at a time." I say with a smile.
***
It's Friday, and mom and I are headed to the coast near Malibu Wildlife. Though Hope was found at our beach, they're thinking maybe she can find her pod at this beach.
I'm in a suit and in the water helping Mandy and the others hold the stretcher. We lower it gently into the water and Hope swims out.
I smile and she looks back at me. She clicks and calls to me and I swim out to her. Oh how the pain of my arms swimming feels so good.
I swim and follow Hope deeper into the water. As she clicks and calls, I stop. I look back and see how far away I am from the shore.
"Hope. I can only stay until here. You go on." I say to the happy dolphin.
She comes back to me and nudges for me to put my around her. I allow her to and she zooms ahead, carrying me with her. This is way too deep but I see a beautiful ocean laid out before me.
I remember the song How He Loves saying if grace is an ocean, we're all sinking. I smile at the thought of how good God is and how much He truly loves me. I may not be perfect but He gave me another chance to do more for Him. And I will.
Hope swims faster but turns around to head back. She brings me along with her and I feel like I'm flying, but with water. Okay, never mind that.
No matter what I go through in life, I will stand up and balance everything, calling out to Him who keeps me above the waves.