Family Vacationing Should be an Olympic Sport

I just got back from a week long family vacation and I’m reminded how much hard work “taking off” really is. I’m convinced it needs to be an Olympic sport…just harder. Call it the 1000 mile Family Dash! Like an Olympic sport it takes tons of preparation, sacrifice, blood sweat, tears, discipline and of course tons of money.

I just got back from a week long family vacation and I’m reminded how much hard work “taking off” really is. I’m convinced it needs to be an Olympic sport…just harder. Call it the 1000 mile Family Dash! Like an Olympic sport it takes tons of preparation, sacrifice, blood sweat, tears, discipline and of course tons of money.

During the event it actually takes even more of the above – Ugh! And then there is coming home. This is where all of the emotions, tension, physical stress, lack of sleep and drained bank account come crashing down on you. Unlike an Olympic Sport where the Olympian can experience a physical euphoria from a release of endorphins, you don’t really get that from a Family Dash. It’s more of a “Thank God I get to sleep in my own bed” type of feeling.
Now I don’t want to sound like a Debbie-Downer (no offense to the Debbie’s out there) but Family Vacation isn’t really vacation it’s more of an “experience”. Vacation in reality is the concept of leaving or vacating your home for a period of time and if that is the criteria for a successful vacation than we get the Gold medal. If vacation is also defined as a time of rest and relaxation then we really didn’t even place. Here is some play by plays of the event both good and not so good:
– We drove 15+ hours to our destination and 15+ hours back home with three kids and two dogs in a cramped car. My ears, rear end and left knee still hurt. – Not so good!
– We spent $100’s of dollars on…well…I’m not sure what we spent it on. – Not so good!
– We went to a couple of amusement park like places and came home with two cups and couple of stuffed animals. This answers where we spent our money on! – Good and Bad!
– My wife and my daughter got horribly ill and coughed the entire time. Bless their hearts! Not so good at all!
– Went to family reunion and ate wonderfully fattening foods. Very good!
– I got to play Golf…if what I did was considered playing golf. Very Good!
– Hung out with Father-in-law/Dad/Grandpa! – Good Stuff!
– Cooler temperatures than Texas! – Good!
All in all, the trip was good despite a few hiccups along the way. Like the Olympics we had victories and defeats and in the end we give God the glory for all of all of it. In the end we felt like Olympians!