Camping

Camping was awesome! Asa ran himself ragged, I got to chill by the fire, and we all enjoyed marshmellows. But it got me thinking-why do I love to camp? I never sleep well, I hate being dirty and smelly, and the work of getting all packed up, and then unpacked when you get home, can be daunting. Sometimes it almost feels like self-torture. What brings me joy however, is a campfire at night. Sitting around the ol' flames, looking up at the stars, and talking with friends seems to be what draws me again and again. It is magical at night as the sparks fly up to join their brethern, the twinkly stars. Of course this being Oregon, the twinkly stars can be few and far between but I love the concept, and it makes me happy when it actually happens. Camping also gives us a chance to sit back and take a breather from daily life. There are few people that love tv more than me. I could actually zone out by it all day long and not even blink. But the thought of my ass growing to the dimensions of a couch cushion scare me, and I do not want my son to know the lyrics to "Friends" before he can sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Camping makes us interact in ways we don't have the opportunity to at home. For example, this weekend at our campsite, they had a little museum we went to and learned about history. At 18 months, Asa did not read all the signs. But he had great fun playing with the giant boat steerer thingy (that's latin, trust me) and he touched different animal furs. We learned about "soft". We also learned about the heat of a campfire but that experience was a little more scary. And mommy re-learns what's really important. As much as we love the luxuries of our home, the reality is we can live without a lot. I DON"T WANT TOO LIVE WITHOUT A LOT. I like my soft bed, instant heat, flushable toilet, and constant warm water. But it is always good to remember that things are luxuries, and if my ancestors could live without them, so could I if I had too. I want my son to know this too-as much as our home is a joy, we need to remember how lucky we are to have all the wonderful things that we do. I don't know if he got all that this weekend, but at 18 mos. it was enough to hear mommy giggle when he got ketchup all over himself and chase him with a washcloth. Those little legs can sure hustle when he wants them too!