Day 600

We just returned from an adventure at Great Wolf Lodge! There, I learned a few truths about myself:

*People my age should reconsider going down a raft water slide THREE TIMES!

*There is a certain age where hot tubs should be mandatory (None to be found)!

*Laughing too hard and too long can end with laryngitis!

*Missing Mac and the pups hurts my heart.

*Love the ones you are with.

There was a moment, when I was seated by myself neck-deep in water, when I allowed memories to infiltrate my mind. Going to Great Wolf when the kids were little, eating at the Mall of America in years gone by and a few other recollections hit hard. The joy and wonder of those little faces so long ago, made me shake my head and fight the tears. Would I want to go back to those days...perhaps only in my memories.

Life has certainly changed, but those memories tugged at my heart for a moment or two. Even though a person or two was missed

in this particular adventure, life goes on and we are not always the authors of our own story.

Suddenly, it hit me that even though we might long for a reunion, or change in life's twists and turns, I was looking at three very wet people who light up my world to a brilliant hue of gold. Loving the ones you are with, and enjoying the gift of their love and presence in your life, should ALWAYS take precedence over longing for those who are not there. What a gift those three faces are in my life!

Now, if they would just let dogs into the waterpark AND I can convince Mac to try one of those waterslides, life would be just about perfect! As it is, the welcome home was worth being gone!