Tomorrow's the DAY

Yep, here I am, supposed to be cleaning and packing before we leave on our trip tomorrow, but instead telling you what we're going to be doing. We'll get up bright and early, have breakfast and pack up the car, and then get in and GO! We're going to Drenthe this trip, about 3 hours from here in the north of Holland. We should have a little house in the woods, at a park with a swimming pool and kids playland and mini-golf...and of course we'll visit the hunebedden (ancient gravestones) and see teh Boomkroonpad (an adventure through the trees) and see the huge satellite dishes and maybe even go to Speelstad Oranje (an indoor amusement park) or Kabouterland (a troll forest). And, I'm sure the Great Pumpkin will be coming for his annual visit...complete with scattered leaves and candy hidden all around. Oh, we're going to have FUN! That's what these family trips are all about...sharing our enjoyment of each other and relaxing together in a place where daily burdens can't get in the way. We want to enjoy you guys, share our knowledge of the world with you, teach you new things, show you new places, and have you learn that living life is wonderful. We want to spend hours at the swimming pool watching you jump in 100's of different ways and not miss a single jump, we want to watch you make a hole in one golfing and see your face light up with happiness, we want to see just how sweaty you can get running through the balls and mazes, we want to capture each delighted "Look at my stick" as we walk through the forest, and play baseball with pinecones and sticks, play Poohsticks and see whose goes the fastest, listen for the singing of all the different birds. We want to not miss a single smile, not miss your deep belly laughter, not miss your excitement at the arrival of the Great Pumpkin! These trips we take are to give us completely to you guys...when we have the chance to relax, we can give more to you. And without the pressures of life, we can take it all slower, take it all easier, not get so worked up. We can just enjoy. And so, guys, that's what's on our agenda. An opportunity to get to know each other a little better, an opportunity to let our love for you guys show, and an opportunity to share terrific experiences with you. Mama and Papa don't believe in spending lots of money giving you the best toys and clothes, the newest video games or top price cookies (even tho you have plenty of all the above too)...but we'll be darned if we let the opportunity pass to spend family time sharing our world with you, taking a trip to see new horizons, giving you the taste and feel of a vacation out in nature. And that, guys, is money and time well spent. We hope that you will enjoy our week in Drenthe as much as I know we will. I'll let you know what all we experienced in our adventures this time around when we get back to reality!!