Unbridled anticipation

Remember when you were little and the "countdown" was always Christmas day... it was rare that I counted down to my BIRTHDAY although I always knew that it was "next week" or in a "couple of days", etc.

The one thing that I always counted down to was our family's trip to Lincoln City, Oregon. I think that was so important to me because it wasn't often that my Dad had one ENTIRE week off of work where he didn't have to go anywhere (most exciting thing!)... it wasn't often that we got to see the ocean... it wasn't often that Mom and Dad took off to take "romantic walks" although their PDA has never been lacking... it wasn't often that we got to eat crab without stopping... it wasn't often that our entire family - extended as well - sat and hung out doing who-knows-what for seven days straight... and it wasn't often that we got to hang out with Grandpa and Grandma Berges for a lengthy period of time -- so lengthy that their bickering began to wear on you just as you were packing up to leave...

In ten days we will embark on our annual trip to the Oregon Coast. We have done this for years... ever since I was in Elementary School! You know, when Angie and I were best of friends and Geoff usually hung out with Kevin Johnson. David's best friend, Nick Nunamaker, was always around and we spent ample amounts of time at Julie Moyer's house swimming except when she and I were fighting... in fact, it was around that time in my life when I learned what it meant to "turn the other cheek" and so as Julie walked off the bus I told her I would pray for her! More specifically that I would "pray for her heart to be warmer". I still remember the moment when she looked at me like I was the scum on the bottom of her oh-so-cool turquoise with pink rubber Keds. She and I both had mullets... she didn't have that much on me.

So here it is again. Our anticipated week before the week before the week at the beach. During this particular week I usually make all of the unnecessary lists that are simply my "venting" of excited energy. I don't need to make these lists... much like when someone puts something on their list that they've already done just so they can cross it off... it feels just as nauseatingly Type A as that does but with a bit more fruitfulness. I will use these lists but I won't actually attempt to DO anything with them until about Thursday night before the Saturday that we leave - which is 5 days from now.

... I'm getting so tired I'm going to publish this post without finishing any of my thoughts. So here you have it. I can't wait for next week!