End of an Era

Monday afternoon as we drove away from my grandparents property in Trinity County, I had an overwhelming sense of sadness.  I had made it through the entire weekend without any tears, but pulling away from the property for quite possibly the last time was just too much for me to handle.  We had just spent the weekend helping my grandma with a massive yard sale in an attempt to downsize for her move back to our hometown.  We pulled out onto that dirt road and I was flooded with emotions and memories.

This was the property where we learned how to play 31 (yes 31, not 21), Aggravation (the reason the crying towel was born, thank you Uncle Kyle) and Cribbage.  Essentially, we all learned to gamble on this property by the time we were 7.  This is the very property where I shot my cousin's tooth out with a BB gun (true story!).  We spent countless summers shooting rapids on inner-tubes and chasing blue belly lizards here.  This was the place I drank my first cup of coffee!

My dad teaching my nephew how to cast on the Trinity River

I told Jake that it felt like it was the end of an era.  He reminded me that it was just the closing of a chapter and time to start a new chapter with our own children.  We talked about visiting the area often so Lukas and Peyton could experience this gorgeous area my grandparents called home for so many years.  I can't imagine my kids not getting the chance to explore this gorgeous area. There's something about being on this river that makes you feel like you are a million miles away from civilization. There's a calm peacefulness to the air. When the sun sets for the night, the sky is taken over by the brightest stars I've ever seen.  It feels as if you could just reach out and touch them.  This is where my love for the outdoors was born and it will forever hold a very special place in my heart.