Before Gingie was even a week old we received news that her heel prick had shown cystic fibrosis, and we would have a bumpy road ahead of us. We were shuffled back and forth between local and urban locations for testing and trials. Turns out, although J and I are both carriers (neither of us knew prior, and neither have any family history), and although Gingie has not one but two cystic fibrosis genes, they are miraculously not active. The doctors have no idea how or why. We had already received her treatment plan under the assumption she would spend the rest of her life as a salty baby.
But our God is good.
The name “mermaid baby” stuck, and plus she’s a little furnace and always drenched in salty sweat.
Ironically, Gingie loves fish and she loves water. She loves Splash and Bubbles on television, she loves swimming in the Gulf, and I knew she would love visiting the aquarium.
Moody Gardens is located on the island of Galveston, Texas and features various attractions as well as a water park. Each attraction, located in literal pyramids, have their own admission, or you can purchase a pass to access multiple. We had pre-purchased an attraction ticket through our local homeschooling co-op.
After a late start, traffic, a line to the ferry, (a potty break on the ferry), and a parking spot on the other side of the world… we made it to the aquarium! We then spent 15 minutes fighting with the ladies at the door because our ticket had been input as “one person” receiving entry to two pyramids, instead of two people resolving entry to a single pyramid. Literally the exact same cost, but ladies wanted to be difficult. J fought with them, then got an employee from the ticket booth who fought with them, and we won. Finally we were inside!
Gingie and I waited at the penguin tank while he argued.
We meandered our way to the sea lions, down a ramp past the sharks, and into a dark room filled with jelly fish. Gingie was more excited to splash in the water than to touch them. I did though! Invertebrates are so strange…
Back upstairs we found the sting ray exhibited. Before we had left home, J was very explicit. “I want to pet the stingrays.” So we washed our hands and used two fingers to brush gently along their backs as they flapped their wings and glidded by. It was a dream come true.
We finished the tour touching sea urchins and chocolate chip sea stars! Again, she was more interested in splashing. I got to feel the urchin breathe though, which was so cool.
We left through a tunnel surrounded by fish. A giant shark swam by us, in pure grace and beauty. I could have melted right there.
But instead… we went to the car and ate lunch before returning to the Palm Beach water park. Overall, Moody Gardens makes me smile!
(Post Script: Gingie is wearing a Tank Dress)