Wednesdays in Annapolis

It’s funny how a simple thing like dinner on a Wednesday night can have an dramatic impact on your life. 

7 years ago we went out to dinner with another couple in downtown Annapolis on a Wednesday night.  If you know anything about summer in Annapolis then you know that Wednesday nights mean sailing races. (Truth is I grew up around here and just learned that fact 7 years ago).

When I saw the boats I thought “Hmm nice boats, cool.  Ok, what’s for dinner?”   But Scott and Tim talked nonstop about the boats and races.  Turns out Tim had a sailboat and was setting the stage for recruiting crew.

That fall Scott joined Tim on his boat for a Saturday fall race.  Little did I know that was just the beginning. 

 

That spring our son was born and sailing season started a few weeks later. 

And the rest is history.  

Every Wednesday night from late April till early September for the past 6 years, he’s been out on the bay. 

And as much as possible, the kids and I are cheering him on. 

I can remember when it felt like so much work to go out there with a baby.  More often than not I stayed home.  But I did make it out there a few times that first summer and several more the next summer. 

 

And then I had two kids and realized how easy it was to go out there with just a baby as I was now chasing a toddler and pushing a baby. 

Hmmm no pictures of the sailing watching in 2006…must have been too busy juggling two.  Here is one of the two shortly before they became three.

Once I had two toddlers walking around we moved from our spot on the bridge, to a spot with more room to run while we waited for Daddy to sail by.

Funny thing is that when I had our third child we found ourselves out cheering Daddy on more Wednesdays than not. 

And as the kids grew bigger they really began to love it. 

They  get so excited when they spot his boat in the distance.  They start screaming and jumping and dancing.   

 

Tonight they started talking about how they can’t wait till they grow up enough to go out and race on the boat with Daddy.  (I know that’ll be a dream come true for Daddy too).