I think it gets that way as the kids get older. The sense that time is slipping away and so we desire longer moments with them. They are too old to chase around and too young to get married or leave the house officially— at the same time they are right on the cusp of adulthood. I get a sense during trips with them—“It’s not over yet, but one day it will all change, so let me stay in these moments as long as I can.” 🧡
I cried reading this. Fond memories of cottages. Of a cottage on Oxtongue Lake where we first went as a young married couple, then with a baby… such good memories of that week away, the loon on the lake, the summer rain storms that knocked down a tree and blocked the cottage road for a few days, the canoe rides, the fire pit and grilling steaks, mosquitoes… thanks Shawn for reminders.
I've reluctantly developed a fondness for traditions over the past decade. These types of getaways in particular have grown on me ... I didn't have any growing up, and I'm so glad Liz's family has introduced me to so many (and we've started a few of our own). Even so, I can also relate to the general urge to get back to regular life; routine has become another unexpected pleasure of mine. It's like the old saying, the more things change, the more we want them to stay the same, right?
I enjoy reading your work. We live parallel lives. I have 21,19,17,16 year old kids and just finished teaching the youngest to drive ( one of your recent posts). It is more challenging these days to get everyone together with so many schedules. What a blessing to have this time together. I found myself relaxing along with you.
I plan on stopping by the bookstore one day if my adventures ever get me close enough. Thanks for sharing your writing with us.
I feel this…we’ve been going up to Lake Michigan since my oldest was 5. This year marked our 15th year making that trip. I have 15 years of photos of my kids at their various ages on that same beach. They are all nearly grown now…I sometimes wonder if we will keep making the trip together once they leave home, if it will be a tradition that continues, or if when they have their own families, we will do things differently. Now that 2 of the 4 of them are college age, I keep thinking “this will be the last time we make this trip as a family.” I wonder…
So glad you all got to the cabin for another year together.
We don’t and didn’t have this either growing up or now. I tried to instigate it as a new tradition but my family are awkward and no one could decided on anything, and I’m not in the position to pay for a hire and wait for people to turn up. I wish we did have the memories, then and now though.
I think it gets that way as the kids get older. The sense that time is slipping away and so we desire longer moments with them. They are too old to chase around and too young to get married or leave the house officially— at the same time they are right on the cusp of adulthood. I get a sense during trips with them—“It’s not over yet, but one day it will all change, so let me stay in these moments as long as I can.” 🧡
I cried reading this. Fond memories of cottages. Of a cottage on Oxtongue Lake where we first went as a young married couple, then with a baby… such good memories of that week away, the loon on the lake, the summer rain storms that knocked down a tree and blocked the cottage road for a few days, the canoe rides, the fire pit and grilling steaks, mosquitoes… thanks Shawn for reminders.
I've reluctantly developed a fondness for traditions over the past decade. These types of getaways in particular have grown on me ... I didn't have any growing up, and I'm so glad Liz's family has introduced me to so many (and we've started a few of our own). Even so, I can also relate to the general urge to get back to regular life; routine has become another unexpected pleasure of mine. It's like the old saying, the more things change, the more we want them to stay the same, right?
I enjoy reading your work. We live parallel lives. I have 21,19,17,16 year old kids and just finished teaching the youngest to drive ( one of your recent posts). It is more challenging these days to get everyone together with so many schedules. What a blessing to have this time together. I found myself relaxing along with you.
I plan on stopping by the bookstore one day if my adventures ever get me close enough. Thanks for sharing your writing with us.
I feel this…we’ve been going up to Lake Michigan since my oldest was 5. This year marked our 15th year making that trip. I have 15 years of photos of my kids at their various ages on that same beach. They are all nearly grown now…I sometimes wonder if we will keep making the trip together once they leave home, if it will be a tradition that continues, or if when they have their own families, we will do things differently. Now that 2 of the 4 of them are college age, I keep thinking “this will be the last time we make this trip as a family.” I wonder…
So glad you all got to the cabin for another year together.
We don’t and didn’t have this either growing up or now. I tried to instigate it as a new tradition but my family are awkward and no one could decided on anything, and I’m not in the position to pay for a hire and wait for people to turn up. I wish we did have the memories, then and now though.
Love this. Thanks for sharing!
I love the bittersweet taste of nostalgia and the richness of belonging to one another over the years
Do you always rent the same cabin or is it family owned?
We always rent the same one.
How beautiful. My family did the same thing for so many years… actually, right up until my parents both crossed. Your story is deeply relatable
Thank you
We hope to create this same experience for our kids (and their future love and future offspring!) on a lake in NC.
Loved you being handed the handmade paper ticket for the air hockey tournament in the basement;)
What a blessing for your growing extended family.