Ahhh Vacation
I took a week off. Not really, but it sounds good. I like to say it. "...week off." Really, my father was celebrating his 60th birthday and my family had a surprise party for him, and about 50 of his closest friends. So, being Spring Break for the kids, we hopped in the van and drove to Florida for a week. We keep calling it "vacation," but I'm not sure what we did fits the definition.

Vacation means lying in the sun on a beach sipping Mai Tais from a crazy straw, well in my case, its sipping something like herb tea. Vacation means skiing in the Rockies and then sitting in front of a fire while drinking Hot Coco w/ a shot of Kahlua, or in my case, drinking something like...herb tea. Vacation means released from work, liberated from worry and stress. I don't know when the last time you drove 14 hrs (one way) in a van with 3 small children, but stress-less...it's not! But we called it "vacation." It wasn't. It was a "trip," (in more than one way). Vacation - and I looked it up - ultimately derives from the Latin word vacatio, which means something close to "freedom," or "exemption." None of which I was. I was neither free, nor exempt. But that's o.k. I had a great time. My issue isn't about what happened. What happened rocked. My issue is the spin we kept trying to put on it.

On our trip to Florida much was reiterated to me. I learned, or re-learned, some very valuable lessons.
* I re-learned that my brother and his lovely and intelligent wife are two of the most generous people I know. They footed the bill for the trip, fed and housed my entire family, and even provided some free dental care (my brother's profession). They did it all with a sweet spirit and many laughs. They are generous not just to me, but to many.
* I re-learned that my father, who always goes beyond what is needed, who always tries to be the quiet servent, has positively influenced a great deal of people. This was evidenced by their presence and thier comments at his party.
* I learned that middle Mississippi is the center of hicksville, despite what is said about Arkansas.
* I re-learned that time does offer a healthy perspective on issues of hurt and anger. I am no longer feeling the need for all humanity to be ground into dust.
* I learned that a Rastapharian women in Lousiana can talk on a cell phone, cuss a customer standing at a gas pump waiting, ring up my sale, and pet a dog all at one time.
* I learned that despite manufacture's warnings, a prefabricated, fiberglass shower floor can be cut to "custom fit." (What I didn't learn is weather or not it leaks after being hacked.)
* I learned that if I sleep on an air matress, and it goes flat in the night, I won't get up and reinflate it, no matter how hard the floor.
* I re-learned, although doctors recommend my children drink eight glasses of water a day, that much liquid is detrimental to making good travel time.
* I re-learned that Destin has sand that is whiter than white and finer than sugar. It squeaks when you walk on it.
* I learned that no matter how beautifully breathtaking a place, commercial consumerism will find a way to exploit it.

I learned a few other things, but not many. I'm a slow learner. We had a great time on our trip and it got close, very close to feeling like a vacation.