So much has happened over the last couple of days I almost don't know where to start. Friday we were packing to go camping and my two grandsons were at my house. They have been walking to my house from school because their day care doesn't start until next Monday. We are about 3 blocks from their school and they can get to our house in about 10 minutes. My hubby is home from work at 4:00 PM so they are only by themselves for about 30 minutes. It isn't ideal but it will work for a week. They were there helping grandpa get the trailer ready and talking to him about camping and he decided that they needed to go with us. So he called their mom and asked her if she thought it would be okay to take them with us. She agreed and we had two very happy little boys!
We finished packing and getting groceries and the boy's mom brought their clothes and belongings and soon we were on the road. My family has gone camping the end of August thru the first of September to Puffer Lake since I was 8 years old. So this year marks the 45th anniversary of our camping trips. This is a place that I love - my heart and my soul belong to this mountain - I have so many amazing memories of summer days spent in little cabins with no running water and having to run to the outhouse in the frosty mornings. I have memories of exploring the dirt roads in a banged up Jeep and watching my dad shoot his bow and then at 16 years old getting a bow of my own. I remember fishing on Puffer Lake and rafting on Deer Lake (which was more of a pond), hiking to the Top of The World, having my dad read to us from the Classics, and making shadow puppets when it was time for lights out and the lanterns were lit.
We moved up from the cabins to trailers and I started making new memories as a young wife and mother. Watching my children experience these same amazing things touched me to the core and gave me such peace. I knew that we were instilling in them the same kind of memories of love, companionship, and family that I had gotten as a child.
Taking my grandsons to this special place was amazing. I felt like I was once again passing on a right of passage. I was introducing them to one of the best parts of my life and giving them the chance to spread their wings and explore the wonderful creations that surround us.
They laughed, talked, shared and experienced so many new and wonderful things. We took them on the dirt roads in the Jeep and they were so excited, we went fishing, we let them shoot bows and arrows, we put together puzzles, and colored beautiful pictures. They had treasure sacks that they filled with rocks, sticks, leaves, and the youngest even found some old tarnished money. It was great!
We roasted hot dogs over the fire and made s'mores - I let them pick out three snacks that they wanted to take that were just their own when we went shopping and they were so cute as they rationed out their fruit snacks, cookies, and gummy candy. We took a couple of long hikes and they were enthralled with the scenery. We stumbled on some sleeping deer and got a huge thrill when they bolted from their nest. We stood on top of a mountain and felt small as we gazed across mountains and valleys - it was breathtaking.
On the 3 hour ride home I didn't hear much from either of them - they were exhausted and happy and had a good long nap. When I dropped them off at home they hugged me tight and told me that this was the best weekend of their lives! AMAZING! I felt so blessed and so happy that my husband had suggested that we take them with us.
I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity - to see them smile and to once again find that glorious joy that comes from being in this little corner of Heaven. My soul was replenished and the stress of the world melted away - if only for a few short days.
I hope that each of you has a place that recharges your batteries and gives you hope for the future and memories that will last a lifetime. I am so grateful to my parents for taking the time to share this amazing place with me when I was so small and for putting forth the effort to take us there each year. It is a paradise for children and a place to get away from all the electronic amusement that bombards us every day. Cell phones don't work there, there is no TV, there is quiet, peace, and fresh air! As I said before...HEAVEN!
Have a Great Tuesday and an Amazing week!
No comments:
Post a Comment