 Friday afternoon, I came home from the 9-5, to be greeted with my daily hug and kiss, (yes, my wife is awesome). Amy said, "Yeah, you're on vacation!" We had been waiting all summer for the upcoming week, #vacation2015. For the first time in a long time, the entire family has been excited for our trip the the Delaware/Maryland coast line. It's not every day that all 7 of us are excited about the same thing at the same time. Now it was finally here. We talk a lot on the blog and in social media about the importance and value there is is setting aside time to be a family, to be intentional and purposeful. These are the lessons we are learning as we watch our crew grow up faster with each day. More and more we are reminding ourselves that life really is like a vapor, and we don't want to miss anymore of it than we have to. So a week together as a family, in one of our favorite places, well it's safe to say, we're all pretty giddy. But it was Friday night, and there was much to do, so we did our best to pack and stage everything for Sunday's departure. Saturday morning came with a little more of the same; packing, cleaning, getting things ready for the week ahead. But Saturday afternoon, well, that was a time to have some fun as we made our way to Yough Lake. One of the great things about living in western PA, is that we are smack-dab in the heart of the Laurel Mountains. If you're a mild outdoors enthusiast, this is the place to be. Hiking, camping, rafting, rock climbing biking, boating, you name it you can do it. And we are blessed to have some friends who invite us to enjoy some of those outdoor experiences with them. Saturday led us to the Yough for some boating and dinner. Unfortunately, as is too often the case, we were minus the older two boys due to over commitments. But we went just the same.  We really did consider this trip to be the first day of our vacation, and so we decided to stop at a "landmark" candy store along Rt. 51, Gene and Boots. We have passed the store dozens of times as we traveled the 51/40/68 passage between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Till now, we have never stopped, but since this was vacation, we stopped. $12.00 worth of candy later we were on the road again.
Driving through the mountains on Rt. 40 is amazing. Gorgeous views of meadows, valleys, farms, woods, and historical locales makes for a pleasant and enjoyable ride. (iPods and headphones help, too.) We arrived at our friends camper and quickly made way for the lake. Our friends have a boat, and we're looking forward to taking the kids and us out onto the lake. Unfortunately, just as we arrived, the phone call came in...the boat was broken down. Time for plan 'B', chilling on the beachy area of the lake till dinner. And that's what we did. The kids played in the water and the adults talked. I took a nap. Not intentionally, but the beach was very relaxing for me. It was good therapy.
The sun was hot and our stomachs were getting hungry, so back to the camper for dinner. It was an afternoon with good friend, good food, and good fun; the three ingredients necessary for a great time. But it was Saturday night, and this pastor still had church the next day, so home bound we were. As I think back on the time, it really was a blessing for us to be able to simply BE. We, as with most families, run a mile a minute as we push through the day to day of raising kids, managing a home and paying the bills. To simple BE, is a rare and special treat. When it comes along, we'd be wise to seize it and allow to happen. And I think that sometimes, God works a miracle or two in, like boats that stop running, to help us slow down the action so we can BE. So wherever you find yourself today, remember to just BE. Take in all that is happening around you and simply enjoy it. Then, be sure to thank God, for the blessing to BE. - the higham family  Hi we're Jay & Amy, and we've been married for 19 years and are super blessed to be busy raising our 5 kids; 4 boys and 1 girl. We juggle the adventures of life and ministry and share what we are learning as it relates to marriage, family, raising kids, serving in the church, and chasing after Jesus. Raising a family is hard work, especially in today's culture. But our hope is to encourage you and your family, as we live for the glory of God.
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