Beyond Any "Life is Good" T-Shirt Vacation

There are so many things you learn about your family and yourself while on vacation.  I don't remember vacations as a child as there weren't many.  My mom was a single, working woman until I was 10.  Since my step-father was a charter boat captain, spring and summer were the prime money-making seasons of the year in Destin, FL.  I learned early on that my mom and step-father were not avid travelers.  Disneyworld sometime in the 70's and a few overnight trips to New Orleans----that's it.

 Those trips to New Orleans were an interesting example of focused women on a mission.  We were not going there for the food and culture; we were there because it was the closest Laura Ashley store.  Yep, that's it.  We went shopping at the store all day one day, bought a copious amount of flowered dresses and damask covered everything.  My favorite object from those trips was a black canvas and leather backpack with pink rose buds.  That pack saw me through some of high school, all of college and into mothering years as a diaper bag.  It was the perfect mix of practicality and style. I never saw anyone that had one like it.  Staying in a swanky hotel with my mom was a bonus.  We wore the robes and had hot chocolate delivered via room service.  Good times.

Vacations after motherhood became more of a challenge than a rest.  Trying to recreate "home" for a small child or toddler proved to be more work than leisure.  The Florida Keys, San Francisco, Dallas, Holidays at relatives---all these places sound great until you mix them with port-a-cribs, diapers and high chairs.  Within the last two years, things have mellowed out considerably.  Four children with a 9 year span between the oldest and the youngest present its own set of priorities.  The deadliest foe of our vacations now: boredom.

Keeping boredom at bay is different for each age group.  Teenage boys require something physically challenging  and rapid paced to keep their attention.  My daughter just wants to gather "things", as in shopping or finding restaurants.  The youngest is just content doing anything anyone else is doing.  Usually a little adventure, sweat and food take care of everybody.  

Disneyworld was the preferred destination for many years.  We have migrated, however, out of our 500 mile radius many times since everyone has gotten older.  White water rafting, theme parks without a mouse and mountain hiking have been fun.  I am hoping to take this crew on a few more multi-state adventures while we are still one whole family unit.  My oldest is 15. Three more gravy years of 6 people travel.  Then 5. Then 4.

Hotel room searches will become easier but I am not rushing it.  All of us together gives us the relatively rare experience of saying "Goodnight" to everyone at once.  Hearing all the little noises of sleep of everyone at the same time.  Scattered within 500 square feet are all the people I love the most.  It's a great feeling.

Waking up first in this 6 people configuration allows me to see everyone still and peaceful: a sight and experience I relish.  It is then that I realize how much everyone looks like each other.  It doesn't matter how big a kid gets, there is something about their face when they sleep that you can still see their infant face you once held in your hands.  There is sort of a shadow of what used to be as a baby and what will be as an adult.  Even when they wake up I see that baby who stretched their arms over their head, but instead of a cry I hear, "What's for breakfast, Mom?"

I'll take it all: the rewards of a more relaxing vacation, the chaos of six people sharing one bathroom in a hotel room, the beauty of seeing all the faces of my most treasured relationships in a rear view mirror of a mini-van.  All the "Life is Good" t-shirts can't capture the knowing that, indeed, my life is, well, more than good. I am blessed beyond all of my life expectations. Thank you, Lord.