I wrote this as my wife and I embarked on a family vacation with our adult children and their friends.
If you had told me when we were 16 and tubing down the Apple River together that we would get married, have three children, raise them to adulthood and then grow old together near the beach, I wouldn’t have believed you.
If you had told me how hard raising three children would be and painted a picture of night terrors, facial ticks, learning challenges, in-fighting, totaled cars, alcoholism, tantrums and wilderness, I would have said it will crush you.
If you were to describe to me how you would love them fiercely and compassionately, give yourself completely over to raising them, and never give up, I would admire you.
If you were to tell me that after all that, we would have three amazing young adults who were good people, who we would love and would love us back, I would have said you are dreaming.
If you were to explain that I was going to have to ride shotgun (as I worked) while you managed all this, I would have asked to be let out of the car.
And here I am. I couldn’t have believed you, but I should have. What would have crushed many just made you stronger.
I admire the dreamer in you and I am glad I never got out of the car.
It’s still hard to believe that I am here, with you, preparing to set off on another grand adventure with our children and their friends.
But I will see it for myself in just a few days . . . I call shotgun!
me