We’re Making Memories

Whether in difficult or fun situations my friend Brad will always remind his family that “we’re making memories!”

In family, from the get-go memories are being made. I’ve been with Lizzie when each of our five children were born. My theory that girls are much more expensive to raise than boys was verified when I noticed that my boys came out of the womb with their little hands clinched into a fist. To me, that was symbolic of the challenges that boys have to face in life. But when my girls came out of the womb their little hands were cupped just wide enough for an American Express card to fit in it. My “pet peeve” while the children were tiny, was changing a wet diaper and as soon as I’d finished, they’d wet again. Lizzie was so patient when they did that. She’d just pinch their little cheeks and say, “you little rascal you.” I, on the other hand was terrible, I admit it. When they would wet after I’d changed their diaper I’d say, “Hey man, you had your chance!”

They were so cute in those early years, but eventually they became possessed with a teenage spirit. This spirit took control of their once sweet, little bodies and personalities. When a daughter became irritated at me, the possession would cause her to put the tip of her tongue to the roof of her mouth, and then click her tongue while expelling air in an irritated manner. Then she would roll her eyes to the back of her head and immediately fold her arms defiantly while shaking her head as if she had the palsy.  My boys became possessed with a “messy” spirit. I couldn’t believe their bedroom! Do you know how you can tell if the room you walk into is a teenage boy's bedroom? There’s fruit flies hovering over the waste paper basket and the hamster’s trying to escape to cleaner air! My trying to correct them just got me into trouble with them. We used to have two magnet signs that hung on our olive green refrigerator back in those possessed, teenage years that summed it up. One read: “When Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” The other read: “When Daddy ain’t happy, ain’t nobody cares!”

Well those years are gone now and the house is empty. Our little babies grew up to be teenagers, and then grew to be husbands and wives and fathers and mothers. In many ways I miss those days with the babies and the teens. But we still make memories by traveling together. My oldest daughter Nickie and I went snorkeling in the Red Sea together. We’d never seen more beautiful coral!  Elizabeth and I held hands, pulling one another up as we climbed Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica. We marveled in awe as the water cascaded to the ocean below us.  Seth and Dorte and baby Mattias, along with Lizzie and me, cruised the Inside Passage to Alaska, and then rode bikes in Ketchikan. Stephen, Joe and I walked the Holy Land together and came to know Jesus more. Lizzie and I stood on the deck of our cruise ship hugging as it departed Italy on a warm, balmy afternoon while the sun set . We parasailed with Charlotte our granddaughter, over the turquoise blue Caribbean ocean in Mexico. Bill and Nickie cruised the Caribbean with Lizzie and me. We’ve strolled the beaches of Hawaii looking for shells with our grandkids Jackson and Ellie.  I love these memories! I will never forget them.

I’ve learned that the memories don’t have to end when they’ve grown up. It’s just time to start making new ones!

Jack Marshall travels the world with Fun For Less Tours.