“When We Were Little” Wednesday

When I was little, family was always the number one priority for my parents and, consequently, for my sisters and me.

We had supper together every night at 6:00. As I got older, in high school, when I was out with my friends I always had to be back home for supper. This was not because my parents forced me to, but because I wanted to. I enjoyed that time together, talking about our days and what we had going on. A lot of my friends envied this nightly ritual my family shared.

Family vacations – to Saint Simons Island or Gatlinburg or to see our grandparents in Columbus or Montgomery – were something to anticipate and enjoy with gusto. We would all load everything up into our Ford Econoline van, where my sisters and I would bicker about who got to sit in which seat. (The back, of course, was primo. The seat laid down into a bed, really, and we felt oh-s0-far from the front. It was our own little world back there.)

Weekends were a time for outings to the lake or park or miniature golf or bowling or roller skating. I remember one particular weekend we rented a boat at the lake and we all piled in. My younger sister Ashley and I were chowing down on Cool Ranch Doritos and Now & Laters. (I have never eaten either of those that I have not thought about that day.)

We were always doing things together, and I cherish the relationships that we were able to build with each other this way. My parents made sure that we valued our time with our family, and I am so glad that they did. I want to be sure to build many, many strong and happy memories for Leah as our little family spends time together.