There are some moments in my travels when I wish that I had fallen in love with an animal found closer to my family and friends, some sort of New England or East coast species. My worst nightmare is that something will happen to my loved ones when I am a few continents and oceans away, unable to help, let alone offer my hugs and support. I know that the ones who love me are so happy to have me live out my marine biology dreams, but it is hard to have it come with the price of being thousands of miles away from the ones who matter the most to me.
I just wanted to use this post to say thank you to Poppop for all that he has ever done for me. He filled my summers with wonderful memories of days spent on the beaches of Emerald Isle, and nights spent playing trivial pursuit in the dining room. We had wonderful family dinners on the porch, soaking in the sunset on the sound, and got our behinds whipped by Mamie and Poppop during humid evenings playing mini golf. We had our ritual dinners out with hush puppies and popcorn shrimp, and visits to the aquarium on rainy afternoons. Days were filled with boogie boards, jet skis, and trying to catch the feisty crabs of the sound during low tide. Our time spent in Raleigh was equally as wonderful, with evenings watching the news and sharing roasted peanuts, and sometimes impromptu slide shows of Poppop's beautiful photos with the shades drawn in the living room.
My time in Emerald Isle and Raleigh was always the highlight of my summer vacations, and both places, but especially Emerald Isle, will forever have a special place in my heart and memories. I cannot thank him enough (and the rest of my family) for their undying support with all of my adventures. I can only hope that I have made him proud with my pursuit into the field of marine biology, and my growing love of photography. I am so sorry that I was an ocean away in the end, but I hope that he knew what a special place he has in my heart forever.
