Top Ten Things I Learned While On Vacation

I wanted to do one more thing to wrap up my vacation, so here's a little top ten list that I made of things I learned:

#10 - Traveling with a group of twelve is not for the impatient. Everywhere we went we waited. We waited for close to forty-five minutes to get three cars out of valet parking. We waited to get seated at restaurants (to the tune of over an hour at one place). We waited for our food. We were lucky to see any sites after how long it took just to get food several times a day. It made me wonder how Jesus and the twelve disciples did it day in and day out (not the waiting at restaurants or for cars, just traveling with a large group in general). But the waiting was worth it; when will we ever get all twelve of us together again to travel Texas?

#9 - I want some of my 80-year-old great aunt’s adventuresome spirit. Who else would say after riding a train for nine hours longer than expected, “That was FUN!”

#8 - Take time to watch the butterflies, and watch children as they try to catch them. I had great fun with my seven-year-old cousin as she patiently waited for a butterfly to land on her. When you live where it rains most of the year like she does, having a butterfly land in your hand and travel up your arm is a real treat!

#7 - I’m not ready for the old folks home yet, but rocking in rockers on a balcony with the whole group while listening to an outdoor German concert is a lot of fun.

#6 - Pictures keep the vacation and the memories alive. The day we got back, we made a CD of all our photos and have had a lot of fun going through them and reminiscing over things that just happened last week. I can only imagine that we will wear out the CD, if that’s possible.

#5 - If you are trying to break the sound barrier, just call our group. We actually scared my young cousin with how loud we got while playing a game. We definitely know how to have a good time.

#4 - The beauty of the hill country filled my soul: Think green rolling hills with amazing vistas. And all the culture. I enjoyed soaking it all up.

#3 - There comes a time to put away the sister hat and just wear the friend hat. My sister is nearing thirty, and yet I caught myself asking her where she was going at times, as if she needed me to keep tabs on her. The word “annoying” aptly described my actions. So, I’m working on cutting my “apron strings.”

#2 - I sleep better in my bed at home (the place where I grew up) than I sleep anywhere else on earth.

#1 - My dog will always greet me when I return from vacation as if I have been gone a lifetime because she missed me with all of her heart.