Destinations

We talked the other day about vacation destinations. I think the topic came up when I mentioned that I once swam with a huge turtle who was really old and wise. I went on to explain that there were also dolphins and sharks. Addie asked me when we will go on a vacation like that again. I was surprised by the level of hesitation I experienced before answering. I'm not sure.

Here's the deal. A vacation like that (which, by the way, was in the Bahamas) requires beaches and hot weather. To be honest, I'm not much of a beach person. The idea of going to an all-inclusive resort and laying around getting a tan does NOT appeal to me. Neither does the water. I hate the way my body feels after it has been in the water. I feel like I am in desperate need of lotion.

Instead of a tropical destination, I would much rather spend my time and money going somewhere in Europe. It doesn't have to be a big city, but it could be.

The point is that I love seeing different architecture and landscapes.

I love castles and love old churches even more.

I love sitting at a cafe and just watching the people stroll by.

I love exploring alleyways and small streets to see what I can find.

I love love love stained glass windows.

I love stumbling upon little nooks and crannies where I can imagine spending my retirement.

I love purposefully trying to time a photo just right as the sun goes down and the sky is a brilliant dark blue.

I love peeping into a fantastically old keyhole, wondering what is hiding inside.

So, no... I doubt I'll ever swim with dolphins and turtles again, or at least not for a very long time, but I'm OK with that. There are other treasures to be found!

On a side note, I know that Gramma's most favorite thing to do is to go Aspen Hunting. No worries, no trees are harmed during an aspen hunting session. Basically it's a fun way to say that she loves to go see the aspen trees when they've turned their brilliant golden colors. There have been many autumns where we've spent the day searching for the perfect aspen leaf. There is no doubt that Aspen Hunting has given me many wonderful memories, but it's not **MY** favorite thing to do. This may come as a surprise because there was definitely a time when I thought it was - much like this is definitely a time when my girls think their favorite things are churches and stained glass windows.

We will spend their childhood creating wonderful memories around Mommy's favorite things, and then there will come a day when they both grow up and discover their own favorite thing to do. And in the words of my Ellie, "the story begins again..."

I'm looking forward to seeing what they fall in love with.

(artwork provided by Ellie... LOVE IT)