Happy anniversary Sammy and Ilna! Every day I've known you has been a gift. It's a rare and beautiful thing to meet two people who you click with and have so much in common with, and I'm forever grateful we came together and for every minute of fun, support and sharing. You're REAL friends I couldn't imagine my life without. Here's to many, many more years of fun. Xoxox

REALMcRollers, it's been an amazing year and we're just as excited as we were the day we all sat up till midnight to launch the REAL World. Your support and love has been amazing, and we are so grateful. We've got so much in store for Steve and Catherine, and we promise they'll always be safe with us!

Love and Nonna hugs!

Zoo Adventure

Rollins Home, Tarrytown, NY
9:30 a.m.

"We're taking two cars, so we'll have plenty of room," Elizabeth announced. The family had finished breakfast and was prepared for a trip to the Bronx Zoo. "Are you ready for a zoo adventure, Uncle Steve?" She grinned at how Catherine was making Joan laugh by ducking behind Steve and popping out to say, "Gotcha!" with a kiss to the little one's cheek.

"Definitely," Steve agreed. With Catherine's parents, Grandma Ang, Steve, Catherine, Mary and Joan, two vehicles made the most sense. "I can drive," He offered, and Catherine smiled. "What? I just figured your folks can ride together if I drive one of their cars."

"I'm sure that's the only reason." She patted his chest. She couldn't resist teasing him.

Joseph tossed Steve his keys. "Here. I owe you for the Marquis ride. You take Mary, the baby and Catherine in my car. I'll ride with Elizabeth and Grandma Ang."

Steve caught the keys on the fly. "Thanks. Are we ready?" He turned to his sister. "Mary, do you have everything? Because I've dropped on missions with less stuff …" He grinned and lifted Joan from her high chair.

"Any of those missions include a two year old teammate? 'Cause I'm guessing no." She playfully punched his bicep. "Grab the diaper bag and we're good to go."

"I've got it," Catherine offered, and slung it over her shoulder. "Are you ready to see the animals, Joan?" she asked their niece, who was holding her arms out. Catherine took her from Steve's arms. "C'mon, Auntie Cath has you. Let's go see some animals!"

"Am-ee-nals!" Joan repeated. "Mama! See am-ee-nals!"

"Zoo adventure, Joanie!" Steve said and Joan repeated, "Zoo! Vent-rear!"

"That's right! Let's go show Uncle Steve all your favorites." Mary kissed Joan's cheek and took the bag from Catherine.

"I've got it, Mary."

"Nah, you're holding Joan. I'm good." Mary checked her bag, purse and diaper bag one last time and the family walked outside to the cars.

Bronx Zoo
Bronx, NY

Steve and Joseph parked the cars, and the family walked up to the ticket booth, Joseph's arm linked with his mother in law's. "I think the scooter is a good idea, Mom, what do you say?" He pointed to the sign for scooter and stroller rentals.

"I think Miss Joan there is going to want to ride with Grandma," Elizabeth grinned from her place beside Catherine. "But let's get a stroller, too, don't you think, Mary?"

"Definitely, although she really likes to walk now," Mary agreed. "Unless her personal valet there offers to carry her." She nodded to Steve who had Joan in his arms.

Steve handed Joan off to Mary and took out his wallet. "Cath, they have discounts for active duty and reservists." He pointed to the sign that read, Military Discounts Include: FREE Total Experience Ticket or General Admission ticket and 50% off discount for up to three family members included on the same admissions transaction, and said, "Give me your I.D., we'll get everyone in with a discount."

Catherine passed him her wallet as Joseph said, "Steve, let me …"

"No, Joseph." Steve shook his head.

"Absolutely not, Dad." Catherine shooed his hand away. "We have it." She grinned, thinking Danny would comment on Steve not being cheap because Joan was involved. Steve never balked about the cost for anything involving Grace, either.

Once the admissions were paid, Grandma Ang was firmly behind the wheel of a scooter, and Joan was strapped into her stroller, the group headed off to see one of Joan's favorites, the elephants.

At the elephant viewing area, Steve held Joan aloft on his shoulders while she squealed, "Efanant!" and clutched her stuffed version of the large animal with glee. When the baby elephant walked within her field of sight, she pointed and said, "Mama! Baby efanant!" Using her hands on either side of his head, she pointed Steve towards the elephants saying, "See, Unc Teeve!" while Catherine took photos with her phone and Steve beamed.

Their next stop was the large bear area, since Catherine had mapped out a three hour visit which included as many of Joan's favorite animals as possible, a stop for lunch and a Toddler Time Zoo Activity that she knew Steve was more excited about than a kid in a candy store.

Children were encouraged to bring a stuffed bear to the bear area and Mary pulled Joan's out of her bag as they approached. She was literally bouncing in the stroller as the zoo educator approached. "Hi there! I'm Kenny and you guys picked a great time. We have fewer visitors on weekdays." He turned his attention to Joan. "I see you have a bear to show our bears. Hi there, little lady."

Joan held up her stuffed bear and grinned. "Pad-tin."

"Ahh I see, that's Paddington. He's a popular dude here at the zoo. Paddington is a brown bear, like these guys right here." He pointed to the bears in the viewing area. "If you stay a few minutes, they'll mosey over this way. We don't pressure our animals into the viewing areas, but most of them get hidden treats and anti-boredom activities so they come see what's up when a keeper is around."

"Look, Joan, look at the big bears!" Mary pointed and Joan waved at the animals.

"Bear! Hi, Bear!" She looked around to see if everyone could see the bears, too. "Bear, Lizbet!" She gestured, and Elizabeth beamed and squatted next to the stroller.

"That's a big bear, isn't it, Joan?"

Joseph smiled at Grandma Ang and she patted his hand with a smile.

"I remember taking you to the zoo when you were about six, Catherine," Ang said and turned to Steve. "She wanted to take a seal home. She explained how Joseph could dig a pool in the backyard to keep it happy in the base housing."

Steve grinned. "Did you, now?"

"I remember that." Catherine bent to kiss her grandma. "That was the best day. You bought me a stuffed seal and a book on marine mammals." She shared a loving look with Grandma Ang. "I still have that book."

"And you did eventually take home your very own SEAL, didn't you?" Grandma winked at Steve.

"I did, didn't I?" Catherine slipped an arm around Steve's waist and he kissed her temple. "And we even have a place to swim right in our backyard." She returned the kiss with a gentle peck on his cheek.

"Tiss!" Joan pointed and everyone laughed. Steve smiled as their niece clapped and offered a hug when Catherine kissed her cheek.

An hour into the visit, after seeing the big cats, some reptiles and a few other animals, Toddler Time was upon them.

Catherine had mapped out the day according to the zoo's Zippy Tour Map for Toddlers' First Visit. It allowed for several animal exhibits, and a hands on session with special animals and their handlers at Toddler Time, where one or two adults participate with their little one in an educational activity.

Mary had decided the night before that Steve and Catherine should accompany Joan for Toddler Time. She'd taken her to the Los Angeles Zoo a month before and spent an hour acquainting Joan with the atmosphere. She also got several pop up animal books and their favorite children's librarian had even read a couple during story time after learning about the upcoming vacation and trip to the zoo. Mary was adamant Joan have as many good family experiences as possible.

Toddler Time Area

"Okay, Joan, you have fun with Uncle Steve and Auntie Catherine. Mommy will be right here watching you through the big windows." Mary kissed her daughter and handed her over to Steve before going to join the rest of the family in the observation area.

Steve and Catherine wasted no time in sitting on the floor as indicated with four other toddlers and their family members.

"Good afternoon, everyone!" A young man in a zoo logo t-shirt waved at the group. "I'm Patrick and we're gonna have a lot of fun! First, a few safety rules ..."

Patrick reviewed some rules before squatting down to meet his 'zoo helpers'. When he pulled out some animal related crafts, the children squealed with delight. "Okay, helpers, who wants to make animal footprints in clay?" he asked enthusiastically and even the adults nodded and joined the chorus of "meeeee"s.

"Let's all say hi to our work station neighbors," Patrick instructed as he began pulling out different paw and hoof shapes.

"Hi! I'm Bill and this is Glen." The family sharing Steve, Catherine and Joan's work station had a little girl about Joan's age. "And this is Melody." Bill tapped their daughter on the nose, eliciting a giggle. "She's twenty two months, and today's our first 'gotcha' anniversary. We adopted her one year ago today."

"Gah ta!" Joan repeated, and Melody's dads smiled.

"Congratulations," Catherine said, and Steve grinned as he supported Joan, who was climbing over him.

"Your daughter's gorgeous." Bill waved at Joan. "Hi, Sweetie."

"Thanks, she's our niece, actually. Can you say hi, Joan?" Catherine coaxed and Joan gave a wave and soft smile. "I'm Catherine and the human jungle gym here is Steve."

The adults exchanged pleasantries until they heard, "Hi, Melody!" from Patrick, who waved and said, "Welcome back!" The little girl's pigtails bounced as she nodded and said, "Hi!"

"And who do we have here?"

"This is Joan." Steve situated her on his lap.

"Welcome Joan! Okay, let's get these two girls started ..." And Patrick began to explain the craft. He also said every child would get at least one craft to take home, as the toddlers dug in and squished the clay between their fingers.

"Here, Joanie, look at this." Steve helped her push a bear paw shaped block into the clay. "It's a bear paw."

She looked at it carefully and put her hand against the block, saying "paawww."

Catherine said, "That's like the bear's foot, see, sweetie?" and held it up to Joan's little shoe.

Joan clapped and said, "Bear feets?"

Steve beamed proudly while Catherine said, "Bear feet, yes. Good girl!"

After making a print and sharing the clay earned both toddlers praise from their families, Glen asked "First time here?" as he deftly directed his daughter away from tasting the clay with a grin. "On the table, not in your mouth, Mellie-bean." He looked at Joan, who was starting on her third paw print.

"Yes, we're visiting my parents and grandmother, actually. They live in Tarrytown. Joan and her mom live in Los Angeles. Steve and I are from Hawaii."

"Wow, that's nice, everyone flying in. Is Joan your older or younger sibling's daughter?"

"Teeve, see!" Joan announced and dragged him to the area where Patrick was setting up supplies for the animal interaction activity. Steve looked at Catherine with a grin.

"Go. I'll be right there," she said. Then, to Glen, "She belongs to Steve's sister Mary."

"I'm sorry, I thought you said you were visiting your family."

"We are." Catherine smiled. "My parents love Mary and Joan, so they joined us for the visit. And that way Steve and Mary get to spend time together, too."

"Do your parents want a boy? 'Cause I'm available for adoption ..." Glen joked. "Oh look, this is Melody's favorite part. We come about once a month." He pointed to his daughter who was sitting in the circle with Bill and babbling to Patrick. "They bring out an animal and she's always the first to pet it. We may have a future vet on our hands. C'mon, let's not miss the fun."

Patrick's colleague had arrived with an iguana and all the two and three year olds chorused, "Ohhhhhhh".

Steve shifted over and Catherine sat cross legged next to him. Joan immediately crawled into her lap. "Look, Joan, look at that, isn't he pretty?" she asked softly.

They watched Melody touch the animal gently.

"This is why we all washed our hands, because we don't want to transfer any people germs to Sebastian, our iguana," Patrick said. "If everyone sits with their adult, I'll bring him around to say hi. We're all going to be very gentle, okay, grownups?"

"Do you want to touch the iguana, Joanie?" Steve encouraged when Patrick stopped in front of them.

Joan's eyes were wide. She looked back at Steve and up at Catherine. "Ann Caf?"

"I'm going to say hello to Sebastian," Catherine said quietly as she reached to touch Sebastian. He leaned into her touch and Joan tentatively stretched out her little hand and mimicked Catherine, grinning when her aunt guided her hand gently over the iguana's skin.

As soon as she made contact, Joan's smile grew and she whispered "Bas-tin" then, with more confidence, "Bas-tin. Teeve do."

Catherine kissed the soft baby cheek. "Good job." She looked at Steve's proud smile. "She wants you to touch him, isn't that adorable?"

"Kids this age want to share experiences, she's doing great. Go ahead, Sir." Patrick grinned as Steve ran a hand over the large iguana, who seemed to enjoy the attention.

When everyone in the group had a turn, Patrick led them in an animal sounds song while his co-worker took Sebastian out of the area. "Okay everyone, I want to thank you all for spending this time with us and visiting the Bronx Zoo. Make sure you take your beautiful crafts home and enjoy the rest of your day."

Steve and Catherine gathered up Joan and her arts and crafts project and went to meet the rest of the family. When they approached the others who were seated at a bench having coffee, Steve, who was walking with Joan, lifted her up and put her on Mary's lap.

"Mama! See 'Bas-tin!" She made grabbing gestures as Catherine placed the paw print crafts on the table. "Make bear feets."

"Good job, Baby. Those are beautiful!" She turned to Steve. "I think Miss Joan is about ready to call it a day. We don't want fun overload turning her cranky."

"Perfect timing, actually, we've done just about everything on the list. I'll run ahead, I want to get a couple of things in the gift shop near the exit." Catherine ran a hand over Joan's hair. "She does look a little sleepy."

"How about we meet you guys at the exit?" Mary pulled out some fruit and a Baby-bell cheese snack. "I'll give her lunch and a quick diaper change and we'll be good to nap all the way home" With a grin she added, "I hope."

"You and Steve go ahead, Catherine, we'll wait with Mary until Joan's had her lunch," Grandma Ang suggested, and Catherine's parents agreed.

Mary bent to kiss her daughter as she nibbled on the cheese, and Steve said, "Sounds good. Did you see her in there, Mary? She made the most paw prints, right, Cath?"

"Seriously, Steve?" Catherine chuckled.

He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Seriously. Joanie made three, none of the other kids made more than two. That's focus. She was definitely the most dexterous, too."

"Steve?" Mary grinned. "She's two."

"And she loves animals, Mare. The Navy always needs veterinarians, you know."

"Annnnnd there it is." She full on laughed. "Danny warned me about this."

"Danny will be extremely proud when Gracie graduates from the Academy with honors and is commissioned." He nodded matter of factly. "Joseph, back me up, here."

"I'm sure whatever Grace decides to do, she'll make Danny proud, but, yes, seeing my daughter commissioned was one of the proudest days of my life." He gave Steve a smile. "But Catherine's made me proud long before, and every day since."

"Aww, Dad." Catherine walked over and kissed his cheek before turning to Steve. "C'mon, Commander, let's go get a souvenir for future Admiral Williams. I saw some cool T-shirts and snow globes on the way in. I want to get something for Jacob, too. We should get a little something for all the kids from our trip, and I think Jacob would love that stuffed gorilla wearing the red Bronx Zoo shirt."

Steve slung an arm around her shoulders. "Sounds good. I bet Cody would get a kick out of a Headless Horseman T-shirt." Steve had seen them in the local stores around Tarrytown, since the neighboring town was Sleepy Hollow of Washington Irving fame.

He took out his phone. "I'll text Kono and Chin for ideas for Casey and Dylan. And Danny told me Kaitlyn loves just about anything Gracie does."

"Perfect. How about a pair of butterfly earrings for Kaitlyn? They had them in that gift shop near Mom and Dad's."

"Ya know …" Steve smiled and Catherine saw his eyes light.

"What?" She stopped walking, and when Steve dropped his arm, he took her hand.

"I remember not too many years back, finishing an assignment and picking up a snow globe for you. Then worrying it was going to explode in my pack and I'd be meeting you with wet, glitter-covered clothes."

Catherine smiled. "And you'd still be the handsomest guy I ever saw." He raised an eyebrow. "Besides, I still love that globe." Her hand tightened on his.

He squeezed her fingers in return. "I'm glad. Here we are." Steve held the door to the gift shop just as his phone pinged a text from Chin. "And looks like our suggestions are right on time."

When they'd finished with their purchases, the rest of the family was waiting a few feet outside.

"Perfect timing," Elizabeth said, while Steve squatted to give Joan a stuffed iguana.

"Look, Joanie, isn't he cool?"

Joan was about to doze. Three hours in the fresh air and all the excitement had her ready to nap, but her eyes snapped open and she squealed with glee. "Bas-tin!" She clutched the toy to her chest.

"Just like Sebastian." Catherine smiled and looked at her mom who was watching Steve and Joan with a smile.

"Say 'thank you, Uncle Steve and Auntie Catherine,' " Mary prompted.

"Tank you, Unc Teeve, Ann Caf." The couple beamed at Joan and each other when their niece held up the iguana and announced "Bas-tin!" to the whole family before clutching it against her and with a sleepy smile, closed her eyes.

"See, brilliant. Definitely another candidate for the Academy," Steve said with absolute conviction, while Catherine took his hand and his sister shook her head with a smirk.

Without a word, Joseph Rollins clapped Steve on the shoulder. Stepping behind the stroller while Mary fell into step with her brother and Catherine, he began to hum Anchors Away as he pushed the sleepy toddler toward the cars for the ride home.

.

End. Thanks for reading!

/

REALMcRollers, tell us about your favorite REAL Joan moments! Drop us an email, tweet me Mar21763, post to the Tumblr, or mention them in a review. We love you all.

Some of my favorites are:
- Joan with Unc Teeve and Ann Caf at story time in the library.
- Grace reading Llama llama, zippity zoom to her, and
- Joan lifting Catherine's hair to recreate the static from the parachute.

Keep track of all the REAL World stories on our Tumblr page - mcrollintherealworld at tumblr dot com.

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