Thirty Day Challenge - Day Five

Day Five:

A picture of your favorite memory.

When we were little, every Saturday afternoon we'd all hop in the car and go for a drive. Our first stop was usually the Shell station in Byron Center for Mom and Dad to get a cappuccino,  followed by a trip to the New Salem General Store (also known as The Candy Store in our vocabulary). We'd all get to pick one or two treats and then we'd get back in the car and just ride. Never really had a destination, just some quality family bonding time and a relaxing drive through the countryside.

As we got older, and it was just Kim and I after Jeff was too cool for the Saturday afternoon ritual, Mom and Dad would take us to Wal-mart where we'd peruse the cosmetics section oohing and ahhing over the latest Lip Smacker flavor or nail polish colors. After Mom and Dad were done doing their shopping, we'd head over to the pizza place of choice (usually Tillys...Mmm...), order a pizza (cell phones did not become a part of our life til much later!), pick up a movie on the way home and then settle in for the night.

Sometimes when I was going through my 'pre-teen' stage I guess you could call it, I didn't always enjoy this family time. What 13 year old really does? I was way too cool for that, come on! But now, sometimes I wish I could go back to those days and really take it all in. When candy cigarettes were cool and airheads made my tongue turn colors and Kim and I fought over who got to get which nail polish. When we'd all be singing along with the radio looking at all the farms and interesting things you see in the country. 

This might sound weird, but when we were driving along, I always used to dream about the future. Usually it involved my current crush of the week, and how we'd be high school sweethearts and get married and live happily ever after. But I always used to think it was just that. A dream. That I would be one of those people who never finds their match in life and spends most of it alone, with a lot of cats and a lot of books (I wanted to work at the library). So now when I look at where I am now, I just can't believe how it all worked out. I did have a high school sweetheart and we did get married and we are living happily ever after....I guess I just never believed that was in the cards for me. I am so lucky.

I still miss those days though. So Mom and Dad, thanks for always making us climb in the car when we thought we didn't want to be a part of Saturday afternoon rides anymore. That is definitely one of our family traditions that I treasure the most.