We left Possum Kingdom Lake at 7:30 this morning, and I took the drive a little slower. I wanted to enjoy every last hill and twist and turn and glimpse of the water. And even though that passed too quickly, the memories of a great weekend will last much longer.
We’ve been going to PK for 20 years, and it’s just as much fun as it was the first time. The Gregory’s have always been so generous to share their home with us. It’s a place that is special beyond measure - The laughter is louder. The food tastes better. And family just feels good.
At 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, I had written the first draft of a post, which was to be titled “Wild Ass Kids.” My nieces were so exhausted from playing so hard they couldn’t sleep, and since I was sharing a room with my brother and his family, that meant I couldn’t sleep either. But you know, we were having so much fun, who could really sleep?
On Saturday morning, I got in lots of time on the jetski, and all of the cousins got their turn on the tube. The faster I drove and the more waves I found, the more they liked it. That afternoon, it took a boat, four jet skis, and a seat on a friend’s boat to get 22 of us to Hell’s Gate. The swimming was good, the sun was hot and the beer was cold. There was a toast - “To family, friends, and fun!” –
I second that. And I’ll add “always!”
So, Dottie, Todd, Nancy, Elyssa, Zack, Tom, Shannon, Tate, MacKenzie, Kylie, Landry, Dan, Dana, Payton, Avery, and McKauley – THANK YOU.
Now, I’m back in New York and I’ve got about 12 hours before vacation officially ends. I’m going to share one last kid story. I promise. So here it is:
Leddy is a three-year old that demands to be cuddled. From her parents. From my mom. And now from me. At the start of my vacation, she gave me strict instructions on what she expected. And then on the first night of our lake vacation, she wanted to sleep with me on the top bunk. She climbed up, found her place, and put her head down. In just a few minutes, she said, “Josh, I taught you how to cuddle good.”
There you have it. I learned something.