Fayette-Mom: Porch sittin' beach vacation

Waves were jumped, amusement park rides were enjoyed, and well, let’s just say eating was a sport unto itself.

It rained more than it usually does, but this was actually one of my favorite parts of the trip this year. The weather lent itself to a whole lot of porch sittin’.

“Y’all sure do spend a lot of time talking," one of my kids observed.

And he was right. The great thing about a family vacation is that you get to spend a lot of time around people you love who you don’t normally get to see.

Sure, my mom and I talk on the phone several times a week, and she makes frequent visits to see the kids. But that just isn’t the same as waking up and having breakfast with her every day, spending hours on a beach with her, standing together on a pier and gazing down at the wonders in the ocean.

My kids got to spend quality time with their uncles, too, and it was a joy for me to see my brothers get to know my children in a way that infrequent holiday visits can’t afford.

OK, so maybe the water balloon fight started by Uncle Jimmy got a little out of hand, but even that, in the end, was OK.

I suppose we could spend our money on more exotic locales. There is certainly something to be said for visiting new and exciting places, and surely my kids aspire to broaden their horizons beyond Cherry Grove Beach, S.C.

I’m sure those trips will happen and will be enjoyed by all.

But as wonderful as those dreams are, I must confess, I’m hoping for more simple porch sittin’ with my family in the future.