All week long we go, go, go. You know that feeling, right? But then something magical happens and it is called Friday. The kids all have plans. The ocean is too rough for paddleboarding. Neither of us is very hungry. So we make a couple sandwiches and throw on our flip flops and drag our chairs to the beach.
Chat. Eat. Sit. Watch. Listen. Feel.
Life is good. Friday is good. This moment in time. It’s good.
Sunset tonight brings our vacation to an end. We finished up with the monumental task of buying a new (to us) vehicle–about as much fun as a visit to the dentist. Once we get a few things adjusted and it sits in our driveway it will be a little more fun, for now though it is a bittersweet moment for this sentimental sap.
We’ve had our “Green machine” since our oldest daughter was a baby. 14 years, 240,00 miles, countless park visits, potty training, beach days, sports practices and games, concerts, friend visits, family visits, school bus, taxi, girls weekends 2 new drivers, and longevity and dependability during the toughest season of our marriage. She was and is a faithful girl. She might currently be a little rough on the aesthetics (Florida sun and failure to wax regularly are a real thing) and drinks a little oil, but she is solid and beast!
Fortunately, to soften the blow, she will go to our oldest son as an alternative transportation for work and days when his motorcyle isn’t the best choice. Which means the morning vehicle shuffle is about to get all kinds of interesting up in here and a car key hanger is going up ASAP in the kitchen for easy access. In the grand scheme of life, these are minor inconveniences and not even worthy to grouse about. Three cheers for our Yukon, well done, good and faithful servant and greetings to our Enclave.
May this next season be as fruitful and faithful as this one.
There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to give birth, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
The last time I took a 2 week vacation, I was 24. I took the week off from my (NEW) job before our wedding and the week after for our honeymoon. Every other vacation has been the standard week and for the last decade our vacations have consisted of traveling to see friends—which is GREAT, do NOT get me wrong, but it’s quite different from a “vacation”. So, if that gives you a little insight to what a big deal our vacation was…..you might have an inkling of our excitement these past 2 weeks. Truly just bordering on the surreal, “pinch me” kind of moments.
Alas though, all good things must come to an end. Memories were made and as our daughter said, “I like vacation. Vacation is awesome!” I absolutely agree with her!
Thursday night, the Hubs and the girls and I–with the dog, all enjoyed a little hike along the river trail near the cabin and a leisurely swim in the river enjoying the evening with no agenda aside from packing.
Friday morning AFTER an eventful night (for me–everyone else was sleeping) of seeing a baby bear climb down from a tree in our backyard and haul a** back into the forest after being chased into the tree by a neighborhood dog, we began the trek back to my mom’s house.
First stop was the grave of one of the co-founders of AA. It was a brief visit for the Hubs and though we didn’t really talk much about it, it was emotional. For me, this man played a tremendous part in essentially saving my husband’s life by giving him the tools to manage his life, to manage his addiction, to help others navigate alcoholism, to have a second chance at the life God meant for us to have…..it was powerful. I didn’t even get out of the car. Hubs was quietly wrangling his emotions. This moment, at the end of an amazing and long-dreamed for vacation, was a huge moment. So much gratitude. From both of us.
The next two days were spent with my mama, her hubby and my aunt (who was passing through on the way to see my cousin) were precious one-on-one times, rest and strolling around town. Deer watching. Firefly spotting. No reason to rush. Good stuff.
Initially, we planned on hitting DC for the day on the way home, but after realizing that our pup might not have as much access as we thought to the outdoor monuments, summer parking in DC, and 4000degree weather…we decided to make DC it’s own trip later this year or next. THAT decision meant powering through and making the 16 hour trip in one shot, giving us 2 days of vacation at home before going back to work.
Sweet puppy!
Since we knew it was going to be a long day, it makes total sense for the morning to start out with a puking and pooping puppy, it was a rough beginning and a long a** day with our final time of 17.5 hours home—thank you crappy N. Carolina for your humongous lunch time clusterF! In the end though, we made it home, slept in our beds last night, got the grocery shopping done, laundry started and house mostly cleaned. Aaaaand hit the YMCA. It was a good Plan B. Because transition back to real life is a toughie.
Now, it’s off to bed and enjoy ONE MORE DAY OF VACATION tomorrow!!!
Peace!!
Today we put our boy on the plane back to Florida for a few days rest and lawn mowing before he heads to the Keys with his girlfriend’s family. Tough life, right? However, that also marks the downward slide of this amazing vacation. And that’s ok. It’s been phenomenal. A favorite compliment to us this week was “we look like we belong here”. True. You never know what God has in store for us and looking back 10 years ago, I would never have pictured this. Ever. Man, God IS good. And full of surprises. So, who knows!
Yesterday, we let the kids sleep in and then spent the day at Mt. Cranmore enjoying the ropes course and zip lines (ok sort of—it was a great workout, but a few of us are not height fans and were thrilled to be done with that part!), ski lift (amazing views, cool breeze and lost sunglasses found again after a return trip up the lift), mountain coaster and general enjoyment of the ski resort during summer. We were able to spend time with Hubby’s cousin at his super cool home followed by a yummy Chinese restaurant afterward. We were fortunate enough to catch the sunset on the way back home on the Kancamagus Highway. It was a wonderful way to cap off the day and end the boy’s mountain vacation.
Mt. Cranmore-summer fun
The boys summited Mt. Washington the other day. I still have no pictures yet, but they had a tremendous experience. Adequately prepared, they experienced the crazy weather that accompanies an enormous mountain from 70 degrees at start to 30 degrees and socked in with wind at the summit. Periods of visibility to less than 200 yards to completely clear within 10 minutes. Lunch in the AMC shelter and a break from the weather with 25 other hikers. 8 hours of hiking. Both agreed they were glad to experience the highs and lows of the weather and the challenge it brought as it made the glory of the summit that much more appreciative. If that isn’t a great analogy for life, I don’t know what is. Nothing worth having comes easy.
Today we will explore a bit more locally again, light hiking with the pup and prepare to head to PA tomorrow to visit with my mom and her husband again before we head south and home.
So, for now, I’m going to continue to soak up this porch, this weather and this time.
Blessed. Truly.
Sunset fun
Romans 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
I totally get the whole snowbird concept now. I also realize that I could ABSOLUTELY be a snowbird. mid-July with windows open, yoga pants on and 2nd cup of coffee on the front porch with my dog mauling a tennis ball—I’m in.
With 3 of our 4 kids we left at 1 a.m. after working all day. Hubs managed about a 4 hour nap and I grabbed a couple of hours on the couch. Our son came home from work and we loaded into the truck. 3 teenagers. 1 extremely confused, 65 pound 10 month old “puppy” and the Hubs and I. A stop at Wawa for coffee and we hit it. About 5 gas/pit stops/puppy walks/driver swaps and 17 hours later we pulled into my Mom and her husband’s home. Just in time for dinner. Play time with their 2 Newfoundlands trying to “love” our pup. Showers. Firefly spotting. Chatting on the back porch. And glorious, horizontal rest in cozy beds.
In the a.m., we were recharged. Hiked with the pup up through a farm and then hit the road for another 7 hours. I will say that I am a beach girl, but the mountains…….a seriously close 2nd place. THAT said, driving white-knuckled THROUGH the mountains during a horrific thunderstorm is not my favorite and will thus keep mountains in 2nd place. However, once arrived, the rain stopped, pizza was eaten and rest was had by all.
Yesterday, the hubs and the pup and I started off with a hike along the river. Later, we hiked with the kids through Lost River Gorge and caverns followed by a 3/4 mile hike STRAIGHT UP the side of the mountain. None of us completed it. The youngest and I quit after the first boulder ascent (she was exhausted and I know the limitations of my knee), our oldest daughter lasted another 20 minutes (about 1/3 of the way) and the hubs and boy came down not long after (perhaps at the 1/2 way point). ‘Twas no joke. Afterward, we rode a bit further to a lake we passed on the way in (during the rain) to explore. A phenomenal refresher after all that climbing.
Beaver Pond
Spaghetti dinner, salad and bread.
Evening moose spotting (we saw one!) and ice cream and we wrapped that day UP!
We are missing our oldest son who is house and cat sitting and working. Adulthood is hard. Sometimes you figure it out at 18, sometimes it’s later. And sometimes you get a “re-do” and have that 2 week vacation that you’ve dreamed of for years. Somehow life works itself out. One way or another.
If you look real hard, you will see my Hubs swimming out to the rock. You would have to look even harder to find a happier man right now.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
making the trek 