Acting goofy

I need to spend more time with my family; they are the only ones I get this lifetime. My ‘seestor’ and I just spent a weekend in Gatlinburg, TN. It was great fun (would have been more fun if I didn’t have to have been fighting a cold). We walked (to quote Angie) “the hardest half mile in my life” (and she was right), didn’t eat dinner all weekend (another story), built a tent in our room, shot a bear (with the camera), went swimming, enjoyed a hot spa, walked and shopped a lot, and more.

Angie knows how to have fun, guess that comes with having kids, you get to “play” with them. One reason I wanted to do this weekend with her was to have an excuse to just act goofy (yea, as if I needed an excuse, uh?). There is something about acting goofy with your family and I just wouldn’t do otherwise. I have been trying hard to figure out exactly why that is. I know that I could do this with any of my siblings, and I also know I would not do it in front of their spouses. Why, oh why is that? It really puzzles me, is “blood really thicker”?

This “hardest half mile” was straight up a mountain side. (Well, ok maybe not straight up, but it sure felt like it.) We walked up to the observation tower of Clingman’s Dome, the highest elevation in the Smokies National Park. My brave and fearless sister continued up the observation tower, where she left her chicken sister (yes, that would be me) behind. But did she belittle me for being said chicken? No…that is the love of a sister.

What the heck is it about heights and age? The older I get the worse I am about heights…I don’t get it. This is from a person who has skied from 10,000 feet! Does everyone get wimpy when they get old, or is it just me?

All weekend the joke was that Angie wanted to see a bear. Now I have been to Gatlinburg at least three times, and have never seen a bear (except in captivity). But Angie’s wish came true. We saw a bear in the National Park. She was so excited she bolted out of the car (see the youth and instinctive “play” she has?) with camera in tow complete with telephoto lens. Even with all that, the bear was pretty far away, and pictures were a bit disappointing.

Back down on earth, in our room, we made a tent of our bed sheets and drank a Bartles and James Pina Colada, just basically acting goofy. I could see me doing that same thing with any of my other siblings, but no one else.

So what have I learned from this experience? I am afraid of heights? Nope, already knew that one. I can help build a tent? Yep, check that one (who knew?). Angie gets her wishes? (ummm)

Vacations with Ed are totally awesome, and I would rather do that than anything, but I am learning that I can love and appreciate my family too. I think that is what God wants me to know for today. Thanks God.