A vacation is perfect, but home is even better...

The alarm clock rung before the sun was fully awake. The birds were faintly singing outside my window and having their morning conversations. I desperately wanted to push the snooze button a million times over, however, I knew I had to finalize the last details before everyone else woke up.

My daughter was awake minutes later, before I even got myself out of bed. She has a way of sensing movement from a dead sleep... She quietly walked over to me and asked if it was almost time to leave for Florida? She asked this three times throughout the night. But this time, I was finally able to say yes.

We laid in bed minutes longer, enjoying each other's company, before the madness begun (something we rarely get to do anymore with the rush of morning routines). We talked about all the fun things we were going to do. She added her own version of trip, as she usually does. And for me, I love hearing the way children tell their stories and how they view the world -it's always so exciting and there's never a detail missed or a topic not discussed.

My son joined us a few minutes after that. He, more excited than his sister, if that was even possible.

My husband and I took our children to Disney and to stay with our southern family, 2 years ago, when they were 2&4 years old. And that trip had many ups and downs. My daughter was perfect in the car ride, whereas, my son repeatedly cried and whined. However, my son was much better in the park, whereas, my daughter was overwhelmed by the crowds and whined and cried in the park...

So essentially, the standard was set very low for this trip... And that's a relaxing feeling when you have very little expectations.

However this year, our car ride down and up was amazing. Better than anything I could have imagined. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but instead, I only heard a little whining from my husband, none from my children. Both children played their kindles, watched movies on the DVD player (the same player that decided a 24/hr car ride would be the perfect time to pick and choose what DVDs it wanted to play and which ones it would say, "unknown disc"), and I provided random dollar store items/toys for them to receive throughout the trip (to break up the monotony of the drive). We stopped at rest stops so they could run and chase each other. We picnicked at the Virginia welcome center. And, yelled out each time we saw a South of the Border Pedro sign. And we stopped off for the night in a hotel with a heated indoor pool.

(After our indoor picnic)

(Indoor hotel pool)

There was absolutely no schedules, no bedtimes, dinner time -anything. We stayed at a beach side restaurant well past dark and my kids danced to the band well past their bedtime. We swam in an ocean and pool in early February. Created sandcastles in the white sand. Searched and searched for the best seashells on the shore. We sat on the porch and watched the sunset over the gulf and watched a rad storm with 70 mph winds come through town. We went to a wildlife preserve and saw alligators two feet from us and huge manatees swimming outside the perimeter. We took a boat out on a river to see an island of monkeys. We went to an Indian archaeological site where we walked sacred grounds with a guide. And, we bought citrus fruits from a roadside stand and gorged ourselves with grapefruits and oranges, until we had enough for a lifetime.

 (The shore line to the gulf)

 (Beach side restaurant)

 (Wildlife Preserve boat ride)

 (Manatee)

 (Alligator)

 (Archaeological Site)

(Monkey Island)

My children played for two days straight with their cousins and we sat around the kitchen table celebrating my Uncle's birthday, my birthday, and my dad's birthday...

Nine days came and went... Too quickly. It seemed like as soon as we placed our two feet onto the warm pavement at my mother in law's home on the gulf, each day afterwards, was melting away like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. There wasn't enough time to talk to family or see all the sites. And there definitely wasn't enough time to capture all the warmth and store it in our winter stricken bodies.

And before we knew it, we were rounding the highway back home...

Back home to a sleet storm that awaited for us, nonetheless...

This trip was a perfect break during our cold winter months. Just the correct frame, between Christmas and Easter. And cold enough to appreciate the warmth, but not warm enough to complain about being too hot... It was a nice reminder to slow down and stop the rhythmic routines. To hug more and cuddle just a little bit longer. To talk about anything and everything for as long as the words flow from my children's mouths. To gather around a table with family or your uncle playing the guitar, well past bedtime. Or, gorge yourself with Publix streusel coffee cakes (maybe more than any human should consume).

This vacation was more than just a trip down south. It was an adventure. A bundle of happiness, all wrapped up in a nine day package.

We were free to roam the beach and leisurely stop and appreciate all the seashells that floated ashore. To stop every few feet for rocks and coral because my son needed just one more. To find the best of the conch shells for my daughter. And, stopping every few feet to rescue hermit crabs from seagulls, once they were trapped past the surf line. 

And if I closed my eyes long enough, I was transported back to a time when our lives weren't controlled by a schedule. A time when the three of us were left to wander at our convenience and nothing would stop us. A time, when life didn't feel so rushed.

But here we are, back at home and in the cold, with snow flanking our long driveway. Our shells are cleaned and stored and we sat on the floor beside them, manipulating each one, while pondering which was our favorite. We rooted through brochures, talking about our favorite places or places we never saw. And laughed, when we talked about my son repeatedly telling us we HAVE to go back to see a cool factory (that looked abandoned) in the middle of a bay... And he was adamant that visitors were allowed to go.

But being home may not have a readily available ocean, or a heated pool, or even our beloved southern family... 

However, it has our beds, toys, and belongings.

It has the same rooms where both my children took their first steps, the same paths I'd walk with my infants during their sleepless nights, and the same hallways where my children ride their big wheels and roller skates...

This place may not be a luxury vacation, but this place is home. And while vacations are great to visit... Home, is where we love to be...