A few weeks ago, my family made our annual trip down to the lake, to stay with my Aunt and Uncle. It's a trip I've always looked forward to... one of the highlights of my summers since I was a kid. I love relaxing in the sweet little house in the woods, and waking up to look out at the smooth water on the lake. It's so quiet and peaceful. Many happy memories were spent on their back deck talking late into the night and then drinking coffee there in the morning. My Aunt and Uncle are wonderful and I love spending time with them.
I've always loved the water. As a kid, my Mama made sure we took swim lessons and my sister and I were little fish babies! I think it made my Aunt nervous the first time Nae and I jumped into the lake without life jackets and just started swimming around! I started water skiing on the lake before I was ten years old, and I remember using little training skiis with rope that tied them together. It took a few summers before I got up on real skiis, but after that, it was like riding a bike... it's an amazing feeling to be gliding across the water--the best view of the lake and all that surrounds it.
As the years passed, I brought Bri into our family's lake tradition. He fit right in... being the brave rider of various inflatables during one of Uncle Kirks epic rides! He loves the sun and water too and I love spending time with him out there... feeling like we're those crazy-in-love newly-together 18yr olds again.
Now that Hannah and Liv are heading to the lake with us each year, I'm reminded of how much I want these special memories for them. I want them to remember summers at the lake... like the ones I remember. Auntie Nae Nae sunbathing, Papa and Mama skiing, and tubing with their Daddy. So far, Liv still stays back at the House with Gramma, and Hannah was pretty scared of the water this year... but I know in time they will grow to love it.
This year there was more time spent playing with kiddos... coloring and reading at the house. More time spent cuddling sleepy babies, and tired Mamas. Late-night talks with Auntie, and watching Disney movies.Those are still sweet memories being made. We didn't step off the boat onto the Marina for all-you-can-eat catfish, because that would be too hard with the girls. We spent less time out on the water because Liv needed her Mama, and Hannah needed a nap.
Even though it's not quite as relaxing now with two littles in tow, and we've added all kinds of new responsibilities and challenges, we're still making memories. We're showing our kiddos that this is important to us... to be together as a family and make memories and keep traditions. I'm so glad that we didn't give up and decide it's too hard to travel with babies, and that we'll all be so tired from sleepless nights... life is too short to skip the good stuff.
I look forward to many more summers with my family. Just spending time together, doing what we love, enjoying the time we have. We are so very blessed. I'm so thankful for my Aunt and Uncle and all the sweet memories and the ones to come!
