I love vacations. A vacation is an opportunity to take a trip as a family knowing there will be uninterrupted time together. Once at the destination, it’s all rest, relaxation, and fun. But I also get a kick out of the journey before the trip. We start planning our next vacation after returning from the last, “Where do we want to go next year?” “What would we like to do and see?” “What could we discover there?”

Once we decide where we’re going, I get to work. The condo is booked, free tourism guides and pamphlets are ordered, the area is researched for hidden hot spots and must-see adventures, and a complete notebook is compiled. It’s a year-long journey sharing ideas and exploring options before the trip even happens.

Then the long-awaited time comes and we board the plane with the notebook securely stored in my carry-on. Yet even with all the planning, the trip takes a life all its own.

One such time was in Cancun. In an attempt to reach a local hot spot I discovered online, we wandered the heart of Cancun. Removed from the tourist areas, we searched for the land markings to discover our adventure. But after exhausting all options, we determined the locals hid it well and we headed back.

That day we didn’t reach our intended destination, but the journey we were on will be etched in my memory forever … the three of us dripping with sweat, running across busy intersections, giving piggy back rides, dodging buses, and laughing at our adventurous attempt — all just to find the unknown. That’s an adventure!

So often our focus is just on the end result or destination … deadlines, end of school year, get through the summer, graduation, complete the to-do list, make more money, complete a project, settle into a career …

But life is a series of journeys. Each includes their own treasure. At times, we may not reach our intended goals and other times it may take a while to get there, but we can still strive to seek the value in the unexpected along the way.

What does today hold? Is our objective just to get through the day barring major obstacles and untimely interruptions? What unexpected ventures will we discover along the way? Each moment in today’s journey has a purpose. Do we see the hidden importance?

Constant disruptions or breaks from the mundane?

Full-time chauffeur duties or extra time with our children?

Inconveniences or opportunities?

Time just waiting for answers or points in time to grow our faith?

What we make of today’s journey will influence how we see tomorrow’s trip.

 “Don’t miss the beautiful colors of the rainbow while you’re looking for the pot of gold at the end of it.” — Barbara Johnson

Do you ever feel like if you blink, a month will go by? I blinked and now it’s the end of April. Granted being very sick this month didn’t help. Days flew by as I daily melted into the couch and a 15 minute run to the grocery store caused me to need to take another nap.

Now that I’m on the mends, I realize in one month — school is out. How did my daughter’s first year of middle school fly by so fast? Time just doesn’t slow down.

Each summer, my daughter and I come up with a plan. Some days the plan works, other days it’s a bit faulty. Working from home has its difficulties at times as my office door is usually open but does not display a sign, “Don’t interrupt me, I’m busy.” Nevertheless, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I just need to keep my priorities straight.

When it comes down to it, I’m a mom first before I am an employee. My responsibility is first with nurturing, teaching, and raising my daughter. Working for my employer is secondary.

When my daughter was born, never were my thoughts, “Great, now she can tag along through life while I do my thing.” Instead, my convictions circled around how to be the parent God intended me to be.

There are days, I have to remind myself of that. Days when work demands turn a relentless squeaky wheel. Days when chauffeur duties and errands consume my time. Time flies …

My daughter and I sat down this week compiling a list of things we’d like to do this summer, how we’d like to spend our time, activities we’d like to do. I’m not sure how and when the working hours in each day will play out, but those details are secondary.

After working eighteen years in the legal field, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work from home now. It’s been two years since I made that decision. It meant giving up much, but in reality … I was only trading for something better.

This summer we’ll be making memories, learning new things, and building our relationship. That is my priority.

Take time for your children. Show them they top your list!

We need time to dream, time to remember,

and time to reach the infinite. Time to be. — Gladys Taber

A tantalizing smell. An unmistakable sound. A vivid scene. A memorized feeling.

I recently made a pot roast with mashed potatoes and homemade gravy for dinner. The aroma of the roast simmering immediately brought me back to Sundays growing up. We came home from church and walked into the house filled with such aroma.

“That was my favorite meal growing up.” I said. “I tell you that every time I make a roast, don’t I?” My family nodded politely.

It just takes a speck of familiarity to reminisce.

When my daughter and I are cheek to cheek, it evokes fond memories of her as a baby cradling her head against my face as I rocked her.

When the song, “We Are Family” is played, I cannot help but remember how as teenagers in the Philippines, my sister and I used the song to memorize our Tagalog language vowel techniques.

As I am now reading Sisterchicks in Gondolas! by Robin Jones Gunn, the scenes she paints of Venice take me directly back to the year we spent our anniversary in the enchanted floating island city. Our walks at night along the canals were romantic with the lights glistening off surrounding water and beautiful live music echoing the corridors. The following day, plentiful pigeons in San Marco square encircled our daughter, while we laughed and videotaped the playful incident.

Such fond memories.

As parents, what memories do we intentionally create? Making memories doesn’t require money or extravagant trips. Memories can be created from the every day little things, traditions, or simple family outings.

What will cause our children to reminisce when they become adults? As parents, we paint the scenes upon our children’s hearts. Take time to etch the backdrop and landscapes into our lives so that fond images imprint the canvas.

Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart. ~ Thomas Fuller