Spring Break!

It was officially spring break for me at 3:15 this past Friday. Yes, I'm 50 years old and I still get very excited about spring break. That's because I teach, and I get a much needed break in the middle of a hectic spring semester. But I don't head down to Padre Island, or Destin or any other "party" place. Definitely too old for that, though I am reminded of a few spring break destinations of the past...
- when I was in high school, going on a cross country family car trip from New Jersey to Colorado Springs to see my dad's brother and his wife. All six of us in the family station wagon, my dad, mom, three brothers and myself. No seat belts that I can remember. The station wagon with the third seat that faced out the back of the car. (It made one of us carsick.) We stopped in every state, going and coming, plastering those ugly state decals all over the windows of the wagon. Yeah, we really looked like Chevy Chase in Family Vacation. But it was fun. Never had been west of Pennsylvania before. And definitely never where they wore cowboy hats and boots. We were New Jerseyites, from right outside New York City. We had car trouble in Tumcumcari, New Mexico and were taken for a ride by some auto mechanic there. Had to spend the night in some dive of a motel that had donkeys right outside our window. But what great memories of that trip.
- When I was in college, going south from Rutgers in New Jersey to see my folks in Florida. It was me, Bob and five other guys, all in one car, driving straight through to West Palm Beach. Took us 24 hours and as soon as we got to my folks' house, the guys all jumped in the lake. I think the car was ready to explode. It was pretty nasty.
- After marriage, with kids, driving down to Florida to take in the warm waters of the Atlantic and enjoy my mother's wonderful cooking. We made that trip many times. Their house was always relaxing for us. Bob particularly enjoyed the couch glider on the porch! That was his spot after the long drive there.
- With teenage kids, skiing in Colorado, and trips around Texas. Winter Park, Colorado has some fond memories that still make us laugh. It was in Colorado that Bob first found his love for skiing.

But this spring break is an example of how life changes. How you adapt to the lifestyles that come as families grow up. Becca came home today from UArk. The three of us will leave for Austin in the morning where we'll meet up with Pam. She and Becca will have some sister time for two nights while Bob and I head off to the Hill Country. We're staying in Comfort, TX. We've never been there, so we're excited about exploring some new sights around Texas. Then we'll c0me back to Austin and visit with Pam and John for two nights before the three of us head home again. Becca will go back up to school, and Bob and I will go back to work.

We're thankful that we can do this. Thankful that our kids want to spend time with us and each other. So we still get to make spring break memories. Even after all these years.

Have any spring break memories of your own?