What is Family?

After having spent the last week enjoying the sand, sun and surf of North Carolina's Outer Banks with my parents, my siblings, all my nieces and nephews, my husband and our children...I am left pondering the question...

How am I supposed to live the eternities with these people when a week with them is pushing it?

Do not get me wrong here...I love my family more than anything in this world. I have amazing parents who love me and have given me a solid foundation which has allowed me to grow and develop in this world. I have terrific siblings who would do anything for me...they are selfless, kind hearted and beautifully opinionated. I wouldn't change them or their personalities because that's what makes them who they are and quite frankly I like who they are as people. Though I might divert their attentions elsewhere at times.

But this Saturday, I found myself driving home thinking if I never vacation with these people again it wouldn't be too soon. Why is it that this same family I was so eager to drive away from are also the same people who if I haven't seen in a while, can actually make me so homesick that my soul aches until it physically hurts.

I think maybe that is part of the plan.

I mean...if staying at home with your Mom and Dad for the rest of your life were really that enjoyable you would want to do it forever. After living away from my parent's home for 17 years and spending the last 10 years creating a new life for myself, Mitchell and our children. I am starting to see that as I child I thought many of the same ways that my parents did. But part of becoming a healthy adult is stretching yourself which may mean not always thinking the same way as your family does. In some cases....and in some families...that at times leads to disagreements.

But I think the good new is that means that my parents did their job with me...Yes, It might bite them in the butt at times (I love hard and I fight the same way...lol) but, they taught me to be independent, to be a problem solver, to think outside of the box and for myself.

I must say despite the "tidbits" of drama. It was a once in a lifetime vacation.

Not only was my parents, siblings and all of our kids there but in the identical house next door....was my Maternal Grandparents, two of my mother's sisters and one of her brothers and their families. It was a blast!

We spent the week doing it like the Lenharr's do!

9-4 on the beach...in the waves, on the sand, under the ugly green umbrella with the fringe. No one ever gets lost when we have that sucker! We caught up on the missed stories of the past, shared Beachy treats, and passed around the sunblock. We spent the nights cooking dinners, playing in the Pool and the Hot Tub, shopping and eating Ice Cream.

The best investments the Mitchell Clan made this trip were two shovels @ $3 a piece and two Boogie Boards at $10.44 a piece at the WalMart in Kill Devil Hills.

Stone, Jonas, and at times Ethan spent the majority of their days on the beach digging holes in the sand. Who said manual labor wasn't good for them? Stone's behavior was the best it has been in months! When the boys were not digging they were out on their Boards taking on the NC waves which were quite tame until Friday and then the kids were being rolled on a consistent basis. At one point Stone got rolled so bad his nose started to bleed. I thought it was kinda cool and I think he did too. He still got back in the water and kept on riding the waves!

Phoenix took to the water like we all know she does and never got out. The whole entire time she was either Boogie Boarding or braving the waves as the crashed down on top of her. She was a Fish! When we got back to the house from a day of Ocean fun the first thing she asked to do after being showered and fed was to get into the Pool. I am surprised the girl is not permanently water logged. :) I must say she is a girl after my own heart! On that Friday with the rough waves Phoenix got rolled a good 20 times and each and every time she came up with a giant smile. We were taking about a cup full of rocks out of her suit almost every hour.

Avery being the character that she is was everywhere. She did well in the water and on the sand. She was once found trying to follow a man and his dog down the beach. Apparently all it takes to steal little Miss Avery is a dog with a ball. She was pleasant and loved every part of the vacation...except for the top of her swimming suit it seems...lol

The twins did well. They slept a lot...We did have one incident when Zion tried to bury himself to death in the sand but he was saved and no perminate damage was done. Both babies did well in the Ocean water for the first time. Cy LOVES the water and took to it very well. Zion...he needed a bit of warming up and he still was a bit unsure of the whole process. On the last day I took them both in all the way and was jumping the waves with them. They enjoyed it but the water was a bit too cold so they didnt stay in that long.

They loved playing in the sand...but unfortunately they also like to eat it. Cy was shoving it in by the fist fulls. So on the beach they were either being held by sweet Olivia or in the port-a-crib that we hauled down to the beach everyday.

Mitchell took the kids to play Putt-Putt, on a Ferry Ride and to a Lighthouse, and we all went Go-Carting and to a early morning Pancake breakfast. He likes the beach but where I am content to just sit and stew in my vegetation all week Mitchell seems to get a bit bored...Go figure!

So he found himself a nice balance of things to do. With the bigger house in NC equipped to the hilt with amenities I do believe he will do NC over Rehoboth anytime.

I...Myself...anytime I am on the beach...I am happy as can be and the longer I can be there the better!

I had an Amazing time! My children had an Amazing time! My Husband had an Amazing time!

I guess that may be the point of it all. Everything doesn't have to be perfect where family is concerned...it just has to be!

Thanks Mom and Dad...You are appreciated~!

Love You!