As of today when I am writing this post, I am 17,651 days old according to the Google age calculator. That is a lot of days and those days hold a lot of memories. Some good and 
some bad but most of them are great!
It is always fun when we get together with family and friends and start talking about the “old days” and the things that we did so very long ago. Or when you start to clean the basement or storage area and instead of cleaning, you end up spending hours just looking through old pictures and memory books because those things brings back so many memories.
I have had some down time this week and have been looking through old memory books and have been thinking of some of my best and favorite memories from my life. Here are a few of my special ones.
A Few Of The Greatest Memories From My Life:
Camping at Kelly’s Island when I was 16. Growing up, we always went camping–tent camping…..sleeping on the ground with just a sleeping bag….. (and that was some rough sleeping!!!) Let me just say that this camping trip to Kelly’s Island was my last camping trip also. Our family of five, but probably really just my mom, loaded up our car and drove the 3 hours up to the Kelly’s Island Campground. When we arrived, it began to rain and then rain some more. It rained for hours but we began to set up the tent and the camp site anyways because we were tough!! We spend probably about 45 minutes trying to get this tent up and finally when we were done, my mom realized that the tent is inside-out!!! We have to take it all down and start over and it is still raining. This whole process took hours. We laugh about it today but it wasn’t funny then.
Walking around at our wedding reception. To be honest, I do not remember much of our wedding and I am not sure why. I don’t know if it was nerves or just the craziness of it all but some of the only memories that I have are from pictures. I do remember our reception though. I remember walking around greeting folks, laughing and talking–it was great. This is one of the few times time you can be the star of the show and everyone is OK with that!
Staying at our favorite Disney resort when our girls were little. Our family are huge Disney fans. Our Disney trips are always filled with fun times and lots of good memories. When the girls were little and we were all able to still fit into one hotel room, 
we would stay at our favorite Disney resort: Port Orleans French Quarter. We love it there and still do!! Every time we visited, I can remember our family being at our favorite dining table, going down the dragon slide, or dancing around the fountain–such good times. When our daughter Allison was about 6, she made up the Port Orleans dance. We have that on video so I can remember it forever.
Paying off all of our debt. In 2010, my husband and I took a money course by financial adviser Dave Ramsey called Financial Peace. This course changed our lives. We learned how to manage our money, how to not spend more than we make, how to pay off our debt and most importantly, how to teach our children how to mange their money. We started our paying off our credit card debit. We owed about $32,000 and were able to pay that off in about 24 months. After that, we just coasted along paying cash for our cars and trips. We decided about three years ago to buckle down and pay off the house. We owned about $27,000 on the house and we were able to pay that off in just 12 months! I feel that since we were able to that, we can do anything together!
Our first date and my husband forgot his wallet. My husband and I met when we were just babies at 18 and 21. He picked up me up from college 
and we planned to go get ice cream at a local place downtown called Quaker Square. We walked around for a while looking through the shops and then went to get ice cream. We order, he reaches into his pocket and realizes that he has no wallet and no money. The check-out guy ended up giving us the ice cream for free! I actually didn’t have a problem with his flub. I thought it was cute because he was so nervous and in a hurry that he forgot to pick up his wallet because he was thinking all about me!
The moments when my children gave their lives to the Lord. We can tell and instruct our children on how to go to church, how to live, how to act, praying and hoping that they will follow what we teach. When they choose to do it own their own and for themselves, those are the moments we live for and remember forever. It is truly rewarding to see our children walking daily with the Lord.
Feeling the arm of an angel move around my back and hug me in my ultimate time of grief. I can remember this moment like it was yesterday. There have been a few sad moments in my life. There was one time in particular, we were very low and in need of help and hope. I remember someone come up beside me, touch my left shoulder and then put their arm across my back. I turned to see who it was and there was no one–just me. I was still feeling this gentle hug for a few second more and then a great peace come over me. I will never forget that–God coming and taking care of me when I needed it most.
Our memories help make us who we are, help us define where we want to go, how we treat others and how we want to be treated. Start today making wonderful memories with those you love.
What are some of your favorite memories? Please share in the comment section below.
Love reading your family history stories. I hope it makes your customers happy too to know you are a REAL PERSON.
Thank you Bobbie!! You are so kind and always encouraging.
Lovely memories! I never went camping as a kid and was so jealous of my friends that got to go. On a mission to take my son camping within the next few years so he can experience how much fun it can be 🙂
Good luck with your camping trip! Even though I went camping as a child, we have never taken our kids camping. We have slept outside a few times but that is it.
Great post! It’s so much fun to go back through old pictures like that!
I have many memories of camping with my family when I was younger, though we had a pop-up camper 🙂 I think one of my favorites was when my dad and I went on a horseback trail ride in the mountains. They had lined up two horses that didn’t get along (not ours) that started harassing each other. It got so bad that one of the riders refused to get back on her horse! The whole thing set us 2 hours behind schedule and the ranch had even sent out a search party for us!
I had a great time on the ride, but my poor mom was so worried back at the campsite! This was before cellphones, so she had no idea where we were or what had happened to us. It’s funny now, but I imagine it wasn’t for her at the time!
Pop up campers are the best! ha. It is hard to image life without cell phones! Your poor mom.
Beth, you really are a gem!!!! I’m so blessed to know you!!! Reading about your memories…well, you should just write a book. 🙂 I had to chuckle though when you said you remember your wedding reception and how much fun it was. Know what I remember about mine? I was just exhausted at that point….and I remember sitting down at the table and looking out at all our guests – our families and our friends – and thinking to myself “please go home – I’m tired”. LOL!!!!
This is why you are my BFF!
Those are beautiful memories!! I love those moments, too, when a family gathering or a bit of decluttering prompts a stroll down memory lane.
It is always a peaceful time and actually comforting.
Some of my favorite memories are completing the master gardener training, winning ribbons in the county fair for painting and for crocheted afghans, learning Spanish in Guatemala and Ecuador, doing tap dance in the recital (this past June!), walking from Chicago to Saint Paul, Minnesota, (500 miles) with a group, singing in the chorus in three operas! Life is good. It was not the path that I intended to take but taking the road less traveled has become the better choice.
WOW! What a great list of exciting thing. I love it! Congrats on all of your accomplishments. Good for you.
We have similar highlights. Life is good and those photos are precious!
Thank you! Life can be awesome!
So many memories, so little time….
isn’t that the truth! I plan on making the most of my time.
I need to go through all my pictures and think what my best moments are! We are close to paying our debt off too… Cannot wait!
Congrats on paying off the debt!! After you complete that, you can do anything!
How sweet! I love going through old pictures and cards especially. Holding those mementos can take me back to whatever it’s from and the feelings and things we did that day. I love those moments when I can do this.
It is amazing how many things we forget about until we see them ago in a picture. Then the memories start flooding back.