picture this

picture this: a van filled with the stuff of a week long trip to a fishing cabin on the umpqua river. driving in the evening through the peaceful river valley watching the colorful clouds drift over the canyon walls as the sun’s light fades for the day. elk in the meadows, and raptors flying overhead along with some bats. two girls snuggled into car seats surrounded by stuffed animals and cozy blankets.

picture this: mom has forgotten to bring the instructions to the cabin. she thinks she can remember how to get there, even if she has never been there before. hmmm.

the tears start to flow due to length of time in the car, and mom’s acknowledgment that she should have brought the “restructions”. no we really aren’t lost, i know we are close. and its a mama’s job to take care of you, mama will solve the problem of no “restructions”.

a few extra miles of driving ( lots of loud tears and crying) to a hotel where a kindly desk clerk lets me use the internet to access my email to get the “restructions’ to the cabin.

a little while later we pull up to the snug cozy cabin with lights on and friends waiting. that night we sleep in an attic room with 6 double beds. 4 girls from china snuggled in under blankets with stories filling their heads. a peaceful night begins a lovely week of beach-ing, swimming, crafts, dressup, board games , stories , picking blackberries, looking for fairy’s . magical childhood.