Don’t you just love being on vacation? 

I don’t know about you, but just the thought of the words  “me” and “vacation” in the same sentence, makes me giggle.

Perhaps it’s because before last year, we hadn’t taken a vacation, like e v e r. In fact, until last May, we hadn’t been anywhere since our honeymoon 16 years prior. 

After we left that fancy hotel in Hattiesburg yesterday,  we continued south on highway 49. It is a lovely drive, dotted with small towns every few miles, and actually ends at a T. 

As in, the road ends… At. The. Ocean. 

The ocean? Come on now! 

Hey, don’t get me wrong. We’re all about water! We live within a mile of a crystal clear river with swimmin’ and fishin’ holes. And, an hour south of our house we have a lake cabin, but the ocean? Quick, somebody pinch me again! 

As soon as we turned left at the T, our windows came down. What is it about the sea and salt all tangled up together that makes us press those down buttons?

A few miles later, we saw one of those souvenir shops with a giant shark head at the entrance and aisles upon aisles of trinkets. How fun are they? Talk about a place screaming out, “Welcome to the beach!” How could we not stop? 

Inside it was packed with everything ocean-y that you can imagine. Beach balls, sand pails, snorkel sets, t-shirts, star fish, hermit crabs, pictures of anchors and sea life. 

My favorite thing in the entire store? Shelves full of alligator heads, their jaws gaping with teeth! Seriously? Alligator heads?  Oh my gosh, that made me laugh out loud! 

I didn’t get one, but I have to tell you that seeing them reminded me of something pretty darn awesome:

Woo hoo! We’re tourists!