Storing Up Treasure

I used to think I was a homebody.

While Andrew had constant visions of travel and adventure stored up in his mind, I was content to stay within a ten mile radius of our house.  Moving 1200 miles from home had filled me up with a lifetime worth of Out There.  Now I just wanted to be In Here.  Eat in my own kitchen, sleep in my own bed.

Going on any type of trip required at least three weeks notice.  To do lists were complied and meticulously gone over, each item crossed off.  Spontaneity threw me for a loop that I did not recover quickly from.

One time Andrew surprised me with reservations at a fancy hotel and a spa package for Valentine's Day.  Problem was, he surprised me on the day we would leave and I could. not. go.  I was mentally incapable of tossing my preplanned plans out the window and I missed that trip.

I still kick myself over that one.

But y'all, I've changed.

I don't know when I made the switch.  I'm guessing it was around the time that our kids stopped needing a caravan of crap to travel or when Gabe learned that car rides were not a punishment that required screaming.

Now I'm ready.

At any time, I can throw the bare necessities in a bag and be out the door in 45 minutes tops.  We can be spontaneous and adventurous and go for no other reason then we are sick of the rain and the sun is shining 4 hours from here.

I've learned that trips out of town don't have to be a Thing.

It's ok if we forgot something or if we have laundry stacked up to the ceiling or plans that need to be shuffled.  Being together?  Surprising the kids?  Spending hours unplugged with our hands in the sand?  Those are the treasures I want to store up.

Cause the kids are bonafide kids now.

Just like that.  I'm sure that yesterday we had highchairs and bouncy seats and bottles all over the place, but they are gone today.  I have a child that reads to me and another that won't be far behind.  Life is moving forward.  I don't want to get so wrapped up in what's next on the list that I forget to stop and see them.

Last Wednesday Andrew called at 3 to see if we could be ready by 4 to go to the beach.

He only had one day off so it would be a quick trip.  I toyed with the idea, leaning towards not going.  But our week had been busy and I was craving sunshine.  I tossed toothbrushes and a change of clothes in the car, grabbed our pool bag, and woke the kids up from nap.  Out the door at 3:45, ready to spend the next 24 hours fully focused on us.

I watched Josie's courage build up.  Too scared to go deeper than her knees to letting waves crash over her head in a matter of about 45 minutes.  Gabe was all in from the moment his feet hit the water.  "Put me down!" as the waves nearly knocked his Daddy down.

They are so fun right now.

Yea, they fight and whine and drive each other nuts half the time, but that other half?  It's good guys.  Really good.

I really love this family.  Still can't believe we all found each other.

After hours in the warm waves, we ended the trip with a fierce sand castle building competition.

Girls versus Boys.

Josie and I started strong, but got distracted by the waves.  I looked up an hour later and Andrew was still digging tunnels through their mote.  Theirs might have been better fortified, but ours was for sure prettier.

And I'm sure both castles were full of treasure.