Who doesn’t love vacation? Seeing new things, getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, spending time with loved ones are all perks of vacation, but getting ready for vacation can be stressful!!
I am trying to stay organized but papers are collecting on my table, lists are everywhere, the laundry is out of control and all I can think about is putting my toes in the sand! I have this bad habit of when I get overwhelmed instead of jumping in and getting stuff done I sort of hit this dazed state where I walk around the house trying to find something to do but I just can’t decide where I want to start. Please tell me that I am not the only one who does that!! It doesn’t help that my husband has been working crazy hours this week. We always say if we want work plan a vacation because the phone starts ringing like crazy!
In the end, I enjoy the planning and the craziness that comes with a family vacation. Someone asked me once why we take our kids on so many vacations at their age. My answer is this…….
My children, although they love me are only going to be little once, sooner than I would like they will have commitments of their own and other things going on in their lives and family vacations won’t be as easy to take.
A dear friend of mine was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, she is a beautiful mom of 3 young girls.I am happy to say that today she is cancer free! When she was going through treatment I would drive her to her weekly chemo appointments on the first Tuesday of each month and while we were chatting on the long ride the topic of vacation came up. She went on to talk about how she can’t wait to take the girls to disney. As she was talking my heart was breaking for her and at the same time God was whispering in my ear reminding me that we only have today.
The new hardwood floors that I want, the new car, the new counter tops, all the THINGS that I want can wait. I don’t want to let moments of memory making pass me by for more “stuff”. I want to snuggle extra long with my boys in bed, I want play in the sand, I want to go on adventures, I want to see the beauty that God has created, I want to eat new foods, I want to hold my boys hands for as long as I can, I want to have time to just be us.
There is nothing more valuable than the memories we make with each other. Take time and make memories. Go on vacation big or small, go on day trips, spend time with each other but most of all love each other and soak in every moment.
Do you have a family vacation planned? If so, I would love to hear about it!! Leave me a comment below! xoxo
Jamie, you are so right when you say, “Sooner than I would like they will have commitments and other things going on in their lives and family vacations won’t be as easy to take.” As a mother of 3; a 20 year-old daughter, 17 year-old son and an almost 11 year-old son, I am reminded daily how fleeting time is and to cherish each and every moment with my three beautiful children. We have a small, 4 day, family vacay planned to Gettysburg at the end of the month. We decided to go before school got out, as the two older ones have work commitments for the summer…and then there’s the baseball schedule, games and umpiring, along with me tutoring, Dwayne working side jobs and the list goes on and on. When the two older ones expressed an animated interest in going to Gettysburg, we jumped at the opportunity to go together as a family, all too aware that the days are soon coming when the busyness of life and the building of their own lives will make it virtually impossible to travel as a family. I’m so glad that you recognize, “I don’t want to let moments of memory making pass me by for more “stuff”. Enjoy my friend, and I will too! (((hugs)))
It’s easy to let all the stuff get in the way!! Gettysburg sounds awesome! I hope you enjoy your special family time as well!!!