Family Vacation

Some of the fondest memories that I have of growing up were camping trips with my family. From the earliest memories we would head out on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend with our supplies and some of our close family friends to get away. It was on these weekends where I learned a few things. I learned to water ski, thanks to our friends Jim and Sharron, on the Columbia River. My first successful slalom ski was with our friend Rod and his beautiful Master Craft. I learned how to set up a tent. I learned the importance of telling mom and dad where I was going. I learned that even adults like to have fun. That memory was placed in the memory bank when a group of our parents got in trouble at the camp ground for dancing and singing too loud! I learned how to fish. I learned how stuffy tents get in the morning when the sun gets hot! There was a lot that I learned from these weekends.
Of all the things that I learned, I think the most important thing was appreciating time with my family. Those were some of the only moments I ever got to see my dad on “vacation”. No shaving, no worries…just family, fun and rest.
Those are some of the memories I want for our family. Of all the things I want my boys to learn from moments like vacation, the biggest is to appreciate time with family. I am faced with the reality that these moments with my boys won’t last forever. They won’t always need to hold my hand. They won’t always need a nap. They won’t always need me to help them with swimming or cut up their food. But I want one thing to stick - to appreciate the time we share as a family!