out of practice

I used to take the kids on road trips regularly, all by myself.  We’d jaunt down to my husband’s grandparents’ farm for Memorial Day, Labor Day, and all the holidays in between.  We spent many spring breaks in Tennessee, visiting with my in-laws, and soaking in the warmer weather while my husband worked back at home.  One summer I trekked out to my parents’ house in the Midwest, all the way from the East Coast.   It was a two day trip.  I enjoyed packing up all of our things, planning the clothes we’d wear and the outings we’d take.   I had my checklists and my systems, and I knew what needed to happen to make our trips run smoothly, although they didn’t always. Looking back on all those adventures, I’m wondering where the energy for traveling came from!  I certainly don’t have the same stamina now. I’m just a tired, old lady. Ha.

As I was contemplating the packing for a recent trip to my husband’s grandparents’ farm, I realized that it was so hard to figure out what we’d need because I was out of practice.  We don’t really travel much anymore!  I’ve forgotten how to prep the house, make my checklists, and think ahead.  My little ones are also growing, and their needs are so different than the last time I made the same trip.  I no longer need to pack diapers and baby things; instead, I’ve got to pack extra things to wear for when my kids, big or small, cover themselves with mud or fall in the creek.  I guess I just need to make more opportunities to practice!

We hadn’t been to the farm in three years, and being there left me with a kind of ache.  I love it there: the setting, the house, the family.  I hate to be away from it all for so long.  My goal while there was to take as many pictures as I could to evoke a feeling of the place and the things we love most about it.  Hopefully we’ll get there again before too many more years elapse, but the photos will help when we can’t be there.