I was feeling nostalgic recently for the family vacations of my childhood, and wishing I could recreate some of that magic somehow. Nothing I was finding was giving me the feeling I was looking for - if I even knew exactly what I wanted. And then I realized, why not? Instead of finding a place similar to where we used to go, couldn’t I find the exact place we used to visit?
And so I did! I wasn’t exactly sure until we got there, but slowly the pieces started to piece together. Memories started lining up with what was in front of me, and sure enough I was finding myself spending the day in the same spots I was when I was nine or ten years old. It was so surreal and amazing. And then my parents joined us, and we found the same house we used to stay in. And talked about the weeks we used to spend there with my grandparents, and my uncle, and great aunt - all people who aren’t with us anymore, but who had been with us in this place. It was a small thing and it was everything.
It also was a great vacation to kick off the summer, and best of all, it didn’t feel like a pandemic vacation. Because we were renting a house, cooking all our own meals, and spending our days outside, it really felt normal and fun. And boy did I need that. It’s giving me little bits of hope (as is the first child vaccine in an arm!) that I also needed.
We brought bikes and the kids rode almost daily. There were geese to watch and boats to look at and a playground to play on. But more than that, I think my kids actually enjoyed the beach! This is definitely the longest and most either of them have played on a beach or touched the water on a vacation before. We spent a lot of time outside, in the sun, and together as family. Eating meals around the table, spending quiet mornings together, enjoying each other. And as we were doing a puzzle on the table, I couldn’t help but think my grandmother would be so happy watching us.
It will also forever be the place that we watched baby F figure out how to climb stairs and learn to wave. It was the week that G slept in our bed and Tom and I learned that he definitely talks in his sleep, sleeps with a leg crossed over a propped up knee, and sang “Ring Around the Rosie” to us at 2 am. E tried roller skates finally and blew out candles on a cake for the first time ever. It was only a week, but it seemed big for our family.
I will say that by the time the week was coming to a close, though, everyone was ready to get back to our schedule. My kids like their routine, and they like their downtime, and it was showing a bit. Boundaries were being pushed, they weren’t listening like normal, and emotions were high. Still, it was a great week. I know it was mostly a trip for me, but I hope they made some good memories too.
