Last week Raylan and I made a trip to Kauai to sell the contents of our vacation condo we owned before the new owners took possession. As much as we would have loved to keep it - it was quickly becoming a choice between our kids College education or a home we visit once a year.
It seemed like a no brainer thousands of miles away - until we walked through the front door - It looked AAAMAZINGGGG! Tears started to well up in my eyes as I looked around - a rush of memories came crashing down on me like a gigantic wave. Maybe it wasn't going to be as easy as I thought.....
It had been our home away from home for six years. We bought it with my parents while celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. Our three youngest were involved in every step of the process. They loooved telling the locals - We live here....over on......
It was "OUR" family place - not a left over from an earlier family. The girls and I had searched high and low for the perfect welcome tile that hung outside our front door - "Thanks for removing your shoes - Maholo" Our kids special boogie boards from the Easter Bunny all neatly lined up ready to go. If only these walls could talk - the stories they would tell!
Raylan and I had scheduled ten days to get everything sold and out of the condo. Surprisingly everything fell into place quickly. Everything sold in less than 24 hours to two families - by Friday afternoon everything was gone. It no longer felt like our home away from home.
Raylan sensing his wife was about to have a meltdown - as you well know a meltdown is always lurking around the corner for me - said lets do something totally crazy - stay somewhere we've always dreamed of! He didn't need to say another word - I knew exactly what he was thinking - the amazing hotel down the street! A mere two minute drive from the condo, but millions of miles away from memory lane.
Our thoughts quickly turned to what time should we hit the pool? Order a burger? Wash it down with a vodka tonic? Turns out it also provided a welcome distraction for the kids.
Jax, Elle and Little Hart -
VIEW FROM OUR ROOM....
Which elicited the following responses within mere seconds:
Elle: JEALOUS!
Little Hart:
VIEW FROM MY ROOM..............
Jax: It's snowing HERE! Thanks! Keep sending me photos and I'm taking out a loan and flying there!
And just like that our three kids were focused on the parents enjoying the view thousands of miles away instead of the sun setting on another chapter in our family story.
When Raylan and I started blending our family - most days I couldn't wait for the sun to set - it never seemed to get here fast enough! In recent years it feels like I'm just starting to enjoy the view and then BAM - it's gone! Our blended family continues to change and NOW I find myself wishing for another minute or two before the sun is goes down.
The sun continues to set in the West, but the view is never quite the same the next day - THANKFULLY!