{"id":6982,"date":"2019-10-29T15:53:37","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T18:53:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=6982"},"modified":"2019-10-29T16:01:48","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T19:01:48","slug":"martin-the-graduate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=6982","title":{"rendered":"Martin THE Graduate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
West Springfield HS graduation at George Mason University June 4, 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Grandson Martin leads in many ways. Oldest cousin to a dozen younger. Older brother to sister Lydia. And possessor of eighteen years worth of fun and growth under his belt, much of it earning a Taekwondo 2nd degree blackbelt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It takes awhile for our kids to get started on the grandchildren track and we’re not pushing. Parenting is a full time job and anyone jumping into that pond needs to be as ready as is possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Martin
The diploma<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Martin
Martin Downing Desjardins<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But when Emily & Marty make their announcement we are elated. They live in Louisville and we burn up Priceline auctions after Martin’s arrival getting as many family members as possible west to met the leader of the next generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marty is then in sound design and the job market limited for sustainable work. Still when an opportunity presents itself I suggest that being closer would be sweet and they make it happen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving is a challenge. Marty drives the van. Emily, Martin & I follow as we weave our way east. By Winchester VA baby Martin is done. He will gladly live there. Nothing soothes him. We’re so close. It’s nighttime and stopping will only make things worse, so we keep going. Finally we arrive, exhausted, our sanity hanging by a thread. But now the new family is geographically closer to both families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And the fun begins. Playing at the National Zoo and all of the museums in Washington. Summer beach visits. And it is through that portal that CampOBX evolves along with a plethora of quotable quotes from Martin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My MOTHER is killing me!” shrieks three year old Martin as Emily vainly tries to remove a splinter from his foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I can’t move. I have no bones,” yet another classic from the youngster not wanting to do the task at hand, probably bath before bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“NOW we’ll have some fun!” is his mantra as time for CampOBX gets close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“NOOOO!! How would YOU feel if you had not been to camp in forever,” is the plaintive wail when Emily suggests a side trip to Jamestown on one journey to CampOBX from NoVA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sister Lydia joins the family to begin CampOBX in earnest. A few years down the camp path nephew Jake, seeing how much fun Martin & Lydia are having, worms his way into camp time, too, and year after year with little to no advance planning the three manage to circumvent other summer obligations to make camp together happen. Early on they create an only an insider will get it joke list. When I find the list cleaning up, I think it preservation worthy and hang it on a clip. The next year they discover that I have kept the list and they begin an annual tradition of last day add on jokes. Camp cannot officially end until the joke list, still on that same sheet of paper, is updated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ashville Drive turtle boil August 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Through the years campers have seen a daytime random turtle boil, played at the beach, climbed on Jockey’s Ridge, eaten Cookie Monster Sundaes and more at Kill Devil’s, played at the beach, bounced their way through three camp trampolines, scored a hole-in-one while playing mini-golf, played at the beach, bought countless stuffed toys from the aquarium, evacuated camp early because of an approaching hurricane, played at the beach, been to the tip top of the Wright Brothers Monument (that part is now never open to the public), opened First Flight Adventure Park, played at the beach, pulled all-nighters, walked the mile length of now gone Shelly Island, played at the beach, gotten chased out of H2OBX Water Park by an enormous thunderstorm, discovered a cub while on a bear hunt, played at the beach, encountered Nags Head police at Kitty Hawk Kites past midnight, viewed the prettiest sunsets anywhere right from the camp porch while always, always having FUN!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Of course, Martin’s well balanced life reaches far beyond CampOBX but, Second Christmas aside, it is the pivotal point for our time with him. We do our best to get to birthday celebrations, as well as school and extracurricular events because, as Martin declares, “Grandpa comes to shows,” during one family discussion about whether we will attend or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"awesome
Martin is Louis Fensterspock, one of several amazing leading men, in the Awesome 80s Prom WSHS 2017. I was voted Best Dressed Girl.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"monster
Lydia designed the Dad Monster costume that Martin occupied throughout the show. Martin’s voice alone carried the character.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As he enters high school and discovers his love of acting, Martin’s shows become truly things of amazing talents and wonder. Martin owns each role he is cast in with confidence and ability. He has the makings of a great career in theater. And he has already proven his merit in that field with acceptance into the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in theater at George Mason University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We love you Martin, awesome leader of the pack!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Grandson Martin leads in many ways. Oldest cousin to a dozen younger. Older brother to sister Lydia. And possessor of eighteen years worth of fun and growth under his belt, much of it earning a Taekwondo 2nd degree blackbelt. It … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[351,70],"tags":[705,704,706],"class_list":["post-6982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-camp-obx","category-family","tag-campobx","tag-martin-downing-desjardins","tag-west-springfield-hs-graduation"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5CT4u-1OC","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7657,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=7657","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":0},"title":"Hamilton TO Hadestown","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"September 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"May 18, 2019 It is sometime in the early spring of 2018 when daughter Emily calls me up and asks what we might be doing May 18, 2019. I tell her I'm fairly certain our calendar is clear and she says to mark that date as saved. I wait for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Life"","block_context":{"text":"Life","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?cat=251"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_7652-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_7652-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_7652-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_7652-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_7652-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_7652-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4444,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=4444","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":1},"title":"An AWESOME Prom","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"September 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In high school I totally skip the dating scene. I blame this on an incident that occurs during freshman year algebra. Our entire class is cutting up and an extremely popular jock I think is cute asks me for my phone number. At that very moment our teacher shuts down\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Prom"","block_context":{"text":"Prom","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?cat=621"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/A5B0EF4C-6B63-4175-B63E-E03AB88C3F53-2-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6825,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=6825","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":2},"title":"Honeymoon Take Two","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"January 16, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"It's the year of our 50th wedding anniversary and Donny decides that we will revisit the places where it all started June 7th, 1969. The kids would throw us a party if we ask, but since we just had a stellar command performance (a friend's term for family events 100%\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Honeymoon"","block_context":{"text":"Honeymoon","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?cat=692"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_4764-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_4764-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_4764-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_4764-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_4764-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_4764-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1984,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=1984","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":3},"title":"A SWEET Adventure","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"August 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Donny has decided that seeing Lydia skate in the Hershey Open will be fun and he begins his quest for a room. Hotel prices around the park are crazy high in the season as are b&b rooms,\u00a0if you can even find anything, and so when he locates Into the Woods\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "family"","block_context":{"text":"family","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?cat=70"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/farmland.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/farmland.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/farmland.gif?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5088,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=5088","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":4},"title":"Keese & Martin, A LOVE Story of Hollywood Proportions","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"October 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Act One \"Well, will you or won't you?\" Not exactly a romantic proposal, but read on and then decide if this is not truly a real life Hollywood moment. The time is 1946, he is a student at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She is a student at Mary\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "family"","block_context":{"text":"family","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?cat=70"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/i-JgkSTvS.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/i-JgkSTvS.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/i-JgkSTvS.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/i-JgkSTvS.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2122,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=2122","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":5},"title":"Camp OBX 2015","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"September 4, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2006 Emily & Marty need summer help with then six year old Martin & three year old Lydia. Being more fun to call it camp than anything else it quickly it became officially Camp OBX envied by many but attended by a very select few. Not far from the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Beach Life"","block_context":{"text":"Beach Life","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?cat=157"},"img":{"alt_text":"posing","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/posing-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/posing-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/posing-300x225.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6982"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7084,"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions\/7084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}