Family trips; they rarely go as planned…

Our family summer adventures this year took us out West to Colorado (for a family reunion first), then Wyoming to explore Yellowstone (we have an out going 4th grader meaning all National Parks admissions are free!), and South Dakota (Badlands and Mount Rushmore quick stop) this year. We explored Yellowstone together and camped in our new pop up Opus camper. There was plenty of sibling arguing, laughing, seeing amazing sites, and memories made together. I am so grateful for this time and for me I adore photographing and documenting moments of our time together. 

Family trips are wonderful AND hard because the same issues follow you and are often intensified when we are together nonstop in small spaces.

𝘿𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙬𝙖𝙮.
Here is a reminder & permission (not that you need it) to change plans on a trip  & have a family meeting when things are going off the rails. That is what a team does- they course correct & take the time needed.
They share their real & raw because they can take it & are in this for the long game.

𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮- 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙙.

If you are like us family trips might not be all magical and maybe you feel like that means you should quit or give up- I am another tired mama telling you I do not think that necessarily means we are doing it wrong. Family is just hard sometimes AND it is worth fighting for as a team.

I finished Take Your Family Back on our trip and one day in particular we were in desperate need of a reset so we changed plans and went to a secluded part of a beach in Yellowstone and had a family meeting. More her on our Family Meetings but they have ebbed and flowed throughout the years but we always ask ourselves and each other:

1. What was the best part of your week or month and why?
2. What was the hardest or most challenging part and is there a way anyone here can help or support you?
3. Do I need to seek forgiveness from anyone here?
4. What is going on in God’s world right now and what is God teaching me? What am I learning?
5. Anything I want to share with my family?

Our biggest struggle right now is being a team but despite frustrations we are willing to pursue family as a team effort because we want a healthy interdependence and reliance on God. We want community and to be for each other even when that is hard. We shared our feelings and answers some of the following questions (paraphrased here from Take Back Your Family):

What is my role on the team?

How are you wired or gifted?

How or when do you need the most support?

What activities do we need to prioritize for you to flourish?

What is the best way to spend one on one time with you?

When do you come most alive?

I wanted to share because these questions were so helpful to us. It was game changing to hear each person’s answers to the questions.

Happy Adventuring friends!!