Vacation is never long enough. Some people look forward to coming home after a fun trip but I find myself never wanting to leave. The carefree times when we can all be together from sunrise to sunset are truly my favorite. Whether we’re being lazy and lounging around the house or traveling to a distant land, being together and making memories as we seek adventure in the world is what feeds my soul. I love the memories vacation brings.
This past month, my little family traveled to the beautiful island of O’ahu in Hawai’i. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. I’m crazy for traveling that far with an 8 month old. But you know what? She’s such a good little traveler! This trip marked her eighth flight which was by far the longest and most challenging since she’s crawling now. Aside from the extra baggage and screening for her formula and stroller, I wouldn’t change anything about this trip with her.
Vacation memories hold a special place in my heart. My little ‘ohana, as they say in Hawai’i, is forever changing. Our daughter is growing and learning and my husband and I are evolving in our relationship , too. The moments we have together are special and I will cherish every single one.
I know the only things our daughter, Addison, will remember about this Hawaiian adventure are the stories the pictures tell her, but for me, there’s so much more. I’ll know we laughed on the plane as our she played peek-a-boo with the people seated behind us. I’ll remember the giggles and excitement of her first time in the ocean when the waves rolled over our feet. I can still see the sunlight hitting her hair bringing out the red tint that she gets from her daddy. And the sweetest moment I replay in my mind is watching my husband fawn over Addison at dinner when the singers came to perform for us. She loved the music so much my husband asked them to come back and play another song for her.
Anything for his girl. Anything to see her smile.
When the day comes and we have to leave it all behind, I’m bummed. What makes me so sad to see vacation come to a close? Leaving the beautiful views is hard for sure, but I think the hardest thing is knowing we’re headed back to the bump and grind. So much gets lost in the day to day monotony of schedules and routines. We tend to focus on the hard day at work or latest issue in society instead of on the small victories we make as a family. When we are on vacation, the rest of the world disappears. Email shuts off, the phones rarely come out and there’s no place to be but in the presence of one another. Time moves a little slower and our eyes open to the beauty surrounding us.
Realistically, I can’t always be on vacation, but the memories can take me back to a place where we laughed and loved. These memories can remind me to take time each day to appreciate life’s little moments. Vacation is a great way to recharge and refocus on being a family. I hope as we continue to journey down our path as the Kelly ‘ohana, that we will always treasure our times together, near or far.
