Enamored by Life

I was walking a few steps behind my daughter and niece in Muir Woods National Monument and we were coming up on Cathedral Grove. There was a sign asking for a respectful silence when walking through. I heard Gracie, "shhhh. let's listen to the forest." Both girls paused and looked up. Ellia whispers, "wow, so big"

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We had to wake up at 6 am to observe the tide pools. It was an early morning and not everyone in our party was excited about it. We treked down to the ocean at low tide, the reason for our early morning excursion. There we found an exposed reef were we could observe amazing sealife. At every turn Gracie and Peyton oohed and aaahed...

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Justin, Gracie and I just got home from a 10 day jaunt in the San Francisco Bay area. We have a Wozniak Family tradition of annual family vacations. This year it was 7 adults and 5 children (ages 1-11.)

The theme for this year's family vacation: full.

On this vacation I found myself taking pause and catching my breath. There were so many moments of awe and wonder. Whether it be two children gasping in awe at entering the Cathedral of the Assumption in San Francisco, two children so excited to be holding a piece of the Golden Gate Bridge, 3 uncles joyfully kicking around the soccer ball with a rowdy bunch of kiddos, Grandma sharing her love of biology and eco-systems with her beloved grandchildren, laughter of playing cousins while we prepare dinner, the sense of smallness at observing 1000 year old trees...

The list goes on and on.

With a group of children ages 1-11 there were also many moments of chaotic hysteria. It's only natural. That is family life. We take it all. We make the most of it. We cherish the whole package.

I know these are graced moments.

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We must practice being enamored by life.  It is imperative if we are to make it through the tough times.