One of Chase and my favorite things to say when leaving with all of the kids is "Make Memories". We like to say that instead of "Have Fun" because, sometimes it's hard to find the fun, but we will always make memories. This weekend was one of those moments where I could see fast forward into the future and hear the kids telling their own kids about this one.
It's those times my heart wants to remember so my mind won't have to.
Vance loves anything to do with space and stars and naturally he loves looking for constellations. One night he walked out into the backyard and asked Dad to show him Orion (the hunter) constellation. He had a hard time finding it. While we were out there looking, one of the kids mentioned, "I've never seen a shooting star". After that the kids all discovered not one of them had ever seen a falling star. Chase and I were dumfounded. How have we gone camping as much as we have and experienced so much but something as simple as a shooting star they've missed?!
The next day (in true gypsy fashion) we packed up the trailer and headed to where the mountain meets the road and drove until we couldn't see the city lights any more. The further north we drove- the lower the temperature plummeted. My nerves were a little wary by the time we approached the field, but I knew the real purpose for the trip would outweigh my worries by far.
The darkness was debilitating to say the least. I don't think I've been in dark like that. I could tell the kids were nervous, but it was too dark and cold to say anything. As we stood in a little clump, all I could think of is, "Just wait until your eyes adjust". As soon as I thought that, I looked up to see the most angelic sight of a beautiful sky filled with stars. FILLED with stars. Words cannot describe the feeling I felt. I resisted the urge to reach out and grab them. I felt that heaven was closer and the magic was almost palpable. Like you could reach out and touch it.
It was just at that moment that Kurt squeezed my hand (we were all holding onto each other due to the dark and the cold) and just as he did, I looked up to see the largest shooting star I have EVER seen. It was so close! Kurt and I squealed with delight and though I couldn't see him- I could tell his smile was as big as mine!
We waited out in the cold as we showed Vance the constellation of Orion, looked up the others (as best we could with our phone lights) and guzzled our hot chocolate. As the kids saw shooting stars one by one, we had them head back in (by that time the wind chill had made it about 20 degrees!). I stayed out with the ones who hadn't seen them, with Chase in the trailer welcoming those that had.
We waited as long as we could, everyone saw a shooting star and then huddled back into the trailer together to help feel our fingers and toes again. The night was cold and windy but I didn't mind. Chase knows that situations like that make me anxious and stressed (in my head I went through all of the possible scenarios of what to do when the trailer tips over from the wind), so he stayed up with me (practically all night!) making me laugh and being silly. That's a true testament of him- he can always make me smile no matter how near to death I feel we are!
The next morning the wind died down (finally!) so the kids went outside to play. I love that on these days we can just say- "go and play" and they find some of the most interesting things to explore.
It's these times that I want to remember. I won't remember the cold (ok, maybe the wind) or the dirt. I won't remember that the water pump wasn't working properly and that I had to wash dishes with cold water.
I'll remember that I was there when my kids saw their first shooting star.
I'll remember that we shivered in the cold but none of us wanted to leave that
beautiful sight of a heaven filled with stars.
I'll remember that even though we feel we have warm clothes, 20 degrees still has a bite!
and I'll remember how my husband makes me giggle like a school girl
even when I feel like our trailer is about to blow over.
After all, that's what memories are made of, right?
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