A different kind of dream vacation

When I was younger, I dreamed of vacation spots that looked like this:



Or this:

Or maybe this:

Maybe I dreamed about cobblestone streets and historic buildings.  Or perhaps I dreamed about glorious museums. Always, though, a vacation spot was some kind of preferred destination--some place I'd always wanted to go.

I'm on vacation this week, and this is the view from my room:

Nice, isn't it?

But I haven't dipped a toe in that pool. I haven't ventured onto a boat. I haven't walked on the beach. Why? Because this vacation wasn't about the destination. Sure, I'm in Florida, but the landscape isn't what I came to see. Instead, my vacation is about this:

That's my whole family, gathered around one table.

My oldest son (in the very back of the photo) became an officer in the U.S. Navy last fall. Since then, he's been at the Naval Air Station, in Pensacola, Florida, awaiting flight training. Soon he'll be part of the force of men and women who serve "around the world, around the clock." 

Oh, there are still plenty of spots on my list of preferred destinations. But for now, anywhere I can be with all of my children is a dream vacation for me.

Funny how dreams can change, isn't it?

How about you? What does your dream vacation look like?