Flashback

Last week I re-lived my past when we took the girls to Lagoon for their first time. As we pulled into the parking lot I couldn't focus on anything other than the white roller coaster that has to be older than the dinosaurs. I flashed back to my first time on the white roller coaster when I was probably about eight. My dad convinced me that I could ride it, and he offered to be my buddy. Who could refuse? The roller coaster seemed old and rickety even then. So I was a bit unnerved last week to see that it looks older even now. The girls both wanted to ride it...with their dad. How perfect! Just like my first time. Leah said she stuck out her tongue when they went down the big dips. Brita thought people were crazy for putting their hands up in the air. I agreed.

When Leah ran for the cars, I remembered the thrill of driving a car all by myself. But even with the guided track, I slipped all over when I drove the cars for my first time. Leah handled the road much better than I did my first time:


I remembered how the excitement built up while standing in line for the bumper cars (I know...my spirit could use a tad more adventure). A chance to take out my aggressions with permission was one I never wanted to miss out on. Apparently, Brita enjoyed the satisfaction of ramming into me whenever she could chase me down:


My dad was always a good sport about taking us on the rides, but he always appreciated a good bench in a nice shady spot. How could I not think about my dad when I saw Jared and Meg taking a pit stop of their own:


Although I was always the baby in my family crowd, the baby in our crowd is happy to be dragged along, provided she's got snacks and her blanket:


I've become more of a chicken as I've gotten older. I wasn't even willing to ride the "Carris Wheel" (as Leah likes to call it) because it goes to high. Lucky for the girls, their dad is a better sport than their mom!

At the end of the day we were tired, we were hungry and we walked to the car feeling the thrill of the days' adventures...same as when I was a kid.

As we pulled out of the parking lot, Jared and I reflected on some of our childhood Lagoon memories. For me, Lagoon meant summer...when we'd celebrate all of the cousins being together. It meant family time. It meant packing coolers full of tuna fish sandwiches, grapes, and cold drinks. It was something I looked forward to doing every year.

As we drove away, I wondered what Lagoon will mean for my girls. I'm hopeful they are tucking away moments, experiences, and sweet memories to be recalled on some future day. Who knows, maybe they'll pull up last week's Lagoon memories thirty years from now when they pull into that same parking lot with their own families and remember their first ride on the old white roller coaster with their dad.