The small simple memories

I was five, maybe six. Mom and I walked through the woods trying to find the lake. We finally called out to my dad who told us to "imagine" the cabin being here and all these trees being gone. Weekend after weekend of my dad clearing hundreds of trees, planting grass and building a structure, we had a cabin. There were a few trips up where we didn't have walls, years without a indoor bathroom or running water and decades of memories.



Our cabin is on a man made lake and the bottom isn't sandy. It's more like mucky, gooey, slimy mud between your feet. There are leeches and craw fish if you get to deep in the muck but it's still so fun. The beach is much nicer now. Dad brought in loads of sand and rock to help the sinking sensation when you went into the water. He has done a lot of work to make it perfect for my mom and us kids. I'm pretty sure my mom still won't go in without her water shoes but it's really not that bad anymore.



There are so many memories at the cabin. We've gone through a paddle boat, row boat, and speed boat. We're on the second pontoon and we've gone from no 4-wheelers to 4 4-wheelers. My parents have supplied the ingredients for a great childhood and it was.



I learned how to fish and water ski. I drove my first boat. I pulled my dad skiing. I buried a dog. I've had a lot of amazing times at the cabin. I wanted to have my wedding there but we couldn't accommodate all the people! I spent many birthdays at the cabin often complaining about how I had to spend another birthday away from my friends, secretly loving that I was on the lake and had my parents undivided attention the entire day. The cabin was a vacation from cellphones, emails, work calls and friends. It was amazing family time.

We took Addison to the cabin a few times last summer but she was much to small to appreciate it's goodness for the soul. We decided that we were going to do our best to spend as much time as possible there this summer and it started with Memorial day weekend. We were lucky enough to have our house closing land on Friday so we got to the cabin with plenty of daylight left. I let Addie lead me to the lake where she didn't hesitate and walked, clothes on, into the lake to play! My daughter is a fish! She spent every moment we would allow her in the water. She floated, splashed, picked up rocks, threw rocks, ate dirt and had a lot of fun. She went on a pontoon boat ride and fell asleep! She got her first sunburn and had her first fish fry.

It's amazing to watch the memories be created with her. I am looking forward to teaching her how to water ski, fish and drive a boat. I can't wait to roast marsh mellows with her and tell her ghost stories. I can't wait for her to get back from a muddy 4-wheel ride with Billy and tell me all about it. I also can't wait for her to then teach Evie all the things she learned at the the cabin. It's amazing that this small, simple building could hold all these memories. It will always hold the best memory of them all, my dad's sweat, love and passion in each nail in that place.