Part of deciding I really, really was sure I wanted kids has been reviewing my fondest memories with my godson and other friends’ kids.

Of course I’ve thought about the tantrums, messes, and frustrations too. If anything I’ve thought most about those, since I’ve been “on the alert” for any sign I might not be ready, or it might be a foolish thing to do. And foster/adopt training sure focuses on the challenges: the upset kids feel moving homes; bumps even successful adoption placements have on the road to integrating and creating a new family; some lifelong issues adoptees have, wondering what “might have been” or mourning the loss of their birth families.

So I hope it’s with only slightly rose-colored glasses that I say most of the peak highlights of my life so far have been kid-time. There have been so many great trips!

One beach camping trip with my godson really sticks in my memory because while it was overcast and cold, his pure love and enthusiasm for the beach and the water made for hours and hours of fun, chasing around, flying (and breaking) a kite, and generally getting so incredibly gritty and cold that it’s amazing we didn’t get pneumonia. But we didn’t!

This also had the benefit of being with great friends–so there was a wonderful feeling of family and bustle over the campfire, happy tired kids waiting for the marshmallows to finish. It might have been the best camping trip ever!