June 15 Slice of Life Story Challenge: Camping

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Lily runs, splashing into the water with her hands in the air, smiling, squealing with happiness. It is sunny and warm, a perfect beach day. “Mom! This is so AWESOME!” she calls to me. “I know!”

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Oh oh ow woah….

Lily sings at the top of her lungs, dancing in circles around Jackson, while he stomps his little feet and waves his hands in the air. Brinton strums his guitar and I clap my hands. We’re all four of us smiling.

Oh oh ow woah….

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“Be very very quiet and you might be able to wade right up to them,” Brinton whispered to Lily as a mother duck and eleven fluffy little ducklings swam right up to us. These ducklings were definitely not afraid of humans and were looking for crumbs.

“Hi little duckies!” Lily said sweetly.

“Da! Da!” called Jackson, pointing to the ducks.

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“This is a secret trail that only we know about,” Lily whispers to Brinton and I as we carefully sidestep puddles along the hiking path. “I’m a secret fox and no humans can ever know where I am hiding,” she whispers, scampering from one bush to another, hiding out the way little kids do — in plain sight.

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I’m lying in my sleeping bag, squeezing my eyes shut, trying as hard as I can to stay asleep. Jackson is wailing. Brinton is holding him, singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, rain is pounding the aluminum roof of our cabin, and wind is rattling the tree branches agains the window panes.

Lily is curled up next to me, a warm little ball.  I’m envious of how peacefully she sleeps right through the storm and her crying baby brother. I’m feeling equal parts guilty for making my husband get up for Jackson, and grateful that he did get up. It’s freezing in the cabin outside our sleeping bags, undoubtedly the reason why Jackson woke up. I bite my tongue from saying ‘I told you so,’ to Brinton. But I secretly say it to myself–I knew that Jackson would need more layers tonight.

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And, then, just like that, it’s time to pack up. I smoosh our sleeping bags back into their stuff sacks. I shake the pine needles out of my sneakers. I pack up all the snacks, toys, bathing suits, sun hats,crayons, markers and other doodads that kept us busy and happy all week. When I get home, I know I’ll smell campfire on everything, and it’ll make me smile..