“Parenting is a journey, not a destination. …It’s a long and winding road, so expect the scenery to change along the way and relish every moment of it.” –from the Passion Points of Lesson 10 Roots and Wings
Journey brings up so many images especially from places we have traveled. Let us tell you about the best one ever with our family!
Our oldest, Jenny, was 12 and Molly, our youngest, was almost 2. We started in the SF Bay area, hopped on a train on July 4, 1985, and went north to Salem, OR. We LOVED train rides for many reasons. The kids could walk around, sleep in the comfortable reclining seats when needed, go to the scenic viewing car for entertainment, and eat in the dining car which could take a long time. No problem because both of us could give each kid our undivided attention.
When we arrived at the train station in Salem, our Volkswagen camper was waiting for us in all its glory. The camper top was popped up and the sliding door was open to show how all 8 of us would fit inside both for our travels and our sleeping. That began a 24-day camping trip with many memorable highlights. First, we went north to the Columbia River and then down to Yellowstone, Bryce and Zion, and Grand Canyon to name a few. When National Parking became too much for the kids, we’d stop at an amusement park like Lagoon in Salt Lake City and Circus Circus in Las Vegas.
Every night when we arrived at a campsite, we would need to move gear from the storage area in the back to the front seat to get out our cooking gear and set up the lower bed. And the Brigade was born! We 8 would line up beside the van and pass each item from back to front with a few items moved to the picnic table to start preparing our dinner. It was an efficient demonstration of cooperation and fun!
Guess What! Our daughter Chrysy’s family is on a train ride, RV camper excursion on the West Coast right now! Great memories getting recycled!