Camp Fries

I sat with my son on my lap, a blanket wrapped around us to keep us warm from the evening breeze and the after-effects of too much sun. We watched our host preparing our dinner over the campfire. He made it look so easy, a result of decades of guide experience. After a long, exhausting day canoeing down the St. Croix River, it was nice to be taken care of. The smells of chicken and camp fries with onions roasting wafted over us, creating a powerful anticipation of a good meal - and good company.

One thing that made our vacation in Maine so special was the way our host - my friend's dad - treated us like family. He checked in on us every day to make sure we were having a good time and didn't need anything. He recommended fun things to do that he knew we would like. He stopped by to visit. He seemed to really enjoy our kids and our dog. He made us feel at home, without ever having met us prior to this trip. He felt very much like a dad.

My dad passed away in '95. Once in a while, I get that feeling of longing, wishing I could talk to my dad and tell him what's going on with the kids. He's never met them. I think he would have liked this guy who treated us so well while we were so far from home. I would love to tell him all about the memorable things we saw and did. He would enjoy seeing the pictures.

Our families are very disconnected, some by distance and some by conflict. Unfortunately, some by lack of interest. My husband and I talk a lot about how we want things to be when our kids grow up. For one thing, we want to be active grandparents. The kind that invite their grandkids over to spend the night or take the grandkids to the zoo. We'd like to have occasional get-togethers that don't have to be gift-oriented holidays full of expectation and stress, but simply dinner or a day at the beach.

I suppose most parents feel this way, but somehow, families seem to unravel somewhere along the line. This is why our family vacation is so important to us. We try to choose places where we are sure to stay connected, exploring places and sharing experiences in our little family unit. We want our children to create bonds and memories that will keep them connected as they grow older and move into their own lives and little family units. And to create those memories that will carry us through when we're apart.