I’m a sentimental person and I value my family above all. A few years ago, when Maggie was 14 months(!), I had the opportunity to take a road trip back to North Dakota with my extended family in celebration of my grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary. Without a doubt in my mind, it was one of the greatest trips of my life. That isn’t to say that there weren’t logistical issues, puke, or even fights. There were all of those things. There was even The Most Disgusting Hotel in the Universe, and I still count it as one of the many blessings in my life.
Barry and I often talk about things that we’re doing well, things we could improve on and things that we are really doing awful at. These conversations are a good way to keep us on track of our goal to have a happy, healthy and loving marriage/family. Traveling has long been on our list of the trying to improve, and having babies and working has eaten up these past few years. In doing my recent post about 2013, we realized that even though this year felt like we didn’t do much (aside from becoming a family of five (Sydney counts!!!)), we did plenty. Harrison, Disneyland, San Franscisco, Montana, and Fake Camping were all little pockets of our year that expanded us and our horizons.
As I took Sydney for a walk today, I found myself thinking back to the summer that started off with a road trip to North Dakota. The more I thought about it, the more it made me thankful for those two weeks. Not only did Maggie get time with everybody, I did as well. I got to ride in the back of my grandpa’s car as we drove around the town he and my Grandma grew up in and listen to him point out different landmarks. He had so many anecdotes and stories that wouldn’t have meant as much had I heard them in any other capacity. We went to the town museum where distant relatives’ photos hung on the wall, my great grandparents’ addresses were easily found in the old directory, and my grandpa discovered a piece of furniture that he’d made as a 15 year old. We got to spend the day at the lake house where my Grandma grew up, exploring the property, walking the land.
We all proudly stood on the steps of the high school that my grandparents graduated from, sporting shirts announcing our support. My uncle flew in and surprised my aunt, a gesture that touched all of us. Barry and Genevieve were sorely missed, but all the grandkids were there and really committed to celebrating 60 years of marriage in the small town that was home to my grandparents before coming to the PNW. It was a lesson in my family history, taught in the most hands-on way. (Which also made me think about my trips to Scotland/Ireland with Midge, but that’s another post for a different day….but same feeling of gratitude) Families don’t get to do this type of thing with any sense of regularity and I’m well aware of how unique that trip was. Today I was trying to put it into perspective by imagining Maggie as a mother to her first child and going on a road trip with Audrey, my brothers/spouses/children, my parents, Barry and me. I simply can not wrap my brain around it, but I sincerely hope that it happens. Decades down the road.
We decided a few weeks ago that we’re not going to have a formal birthday party for Audrey in the way that we have for Maggie. Instead, we’re choosing to go on a trip to Harrison to celebrate her first year. Traditionally, Barry and I don’t exchange gifts for our birthdays, we try to go somewhere instead. We’ve decided to start this tradition with the girls as well, (don’t worry, they’ll get gifts too) and what a better time to start than right now. This year my parents, brothers and Genevieve will be joining us and just tonight as we were corralling the girls, Barry turned to me and told me how excited he is for the trip. I couldn’t have agreed more.
