Have you ever had an experience that felt too good to be true? This summer has give me a taste of that, since my parents purchased a cabin on a lake in Wisconsin. I keep pinching myself. Can we really get away with our family whenever we want? It has been unbelievably fun and amazingly peaceful, and this is just the beginning of a lifetime of memories to come!
If I could name one downside of living near my family, it would be that we don't do overnights like we did when we lived far away. Since they live only minutes away, there is no reason for us to sleep over when we visit. And the vast majority of our time together is with the kids around, so we don't get to spend much adult time alone. But the cabin changes all of that! When we go, we go for a weekend. We settle in and relax and just enjoy each other's company. We can stay up late drinking wine and playing games long after the kids are in bed.
The highlight for my kids is definitely the extra time spent with their cousins! When we were able to visit at the same time, the kids spent hours splashing and digging and coloring and enjoying each other. They have come up with a host of games that keep them busy for hours while we relax (or chase Blaise around, depending on his mood). Edith and Sammy have become inseparable water buddies, having conversations about secret things that none of us can understand. I love watching all of their bonds deepen as they spend this time together!
The cabin has even allowed us to spend more time with extended family. Both of my sets of grandparents have made a point to come up as often as they can, and my kids have spent hours chatting and reading with their GREAT grandparents. How many kids can say that??
I have gotten packing for the cabin down to an art already. When Paul gets off work on a Friday, we can turn around and make it to the cabin in time for a late dinner! It has been an amazing blessing for our family already, and I can't wait to see what the future brings!
