one epic family vacation

Early in December we rented a minivan and loaded up the kids for one week of family fun. And it was so fun. I think I've been slow to blog about it because I want to do it justice..but some experiences are so good they don't always translate. I'll try my best!

The trip was without a hitch. The kids loved the minivan, the roads were clear except for our last hour before arriving home. We were all healthy and good moods were found all around. Our destination was Ark Encounter, an amazing life-size Ark and museum that just opened in July. We have been following the building of the ark as a family, and I have been dying to get there. So we hit the road to find the big boat.

And it did not disappoint!

The Ark is the largest timber-frame structure in the world. It's size and details are all straight from the scriptures. Inside are cages of animals (not real) and exhibits that explain life in Noah's day, how they could keep fresh water on the ark, how they may have disposed of waste, explanations of the sea-worthiness of the Ark, exhibits on Noah and his age and wisdom, his family and how they may have lived for the full year they were on the Ark (the world was flooding for six months, it rained for 40 days, Genesis 7 and 8). My favorite exhibit was on the trouble with turning the story of Noah's Ark into a cute children's tale. It is not a cute tale. It is a story of a very just God wiping out all life from the earth due to the unrepentant hearts of his creation. The Ark could have saved more people, but other than Noah and his family, there were no other hearts that would turn towards the Lord.

Our kids loved it. To see their eyes when we pulled into the parking lot, looking at the Ark a few hills away, was so great. They held all the awe and wonder the Ark should bring us all. There was a petting zoo outside of the ark and a baby zebra had just been born a few nights earlier. The restaurant was incredible and felt very much like a Disney restaurant...where the whole experience wraps around you with music and smells and costume and ambiance.

The ramps in the ark lead from one floor to the next and near the top is the door. As visitors you actually enter from the bottom of the boat. But the writing around the door likened the door of the ark to Jesus in our lives. There is only one way to be saved. There is only one name under heaven and earth that will save us from our sinful selves when we stand before God Almighty. Jesus is that door. And all are welcome and invited to walk through it.

There was a beautiful gift shop at the end of the exhibits that had fair trade items from all over the world. One of the exhibits focused on how Noah's family filled the earth and how we all come from one race. It was beautifully written and powerful to remember. The gift shop felt very fitting at the close of the experience.

I am so grateful we were able to bring our kids at this age. And the grand plan for The Ark Encounter is enormous. I told Rory that it will be so fun to go back every few years and see what has been added. The heart of the Ark is that all might have an encounter with the living God. I can get behind that. And I know my kids will never forget this day. The night before our visit we listened to all of Genesis 6-8 with the kids. For me, the picture I had in my head the first night was blown up to size by what we saw that next day. That boat was huge. And it all happened just as it is written.

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The second part of our road trip was to see my Uncle Paul, Aunt Connie and cousin Jessica! We have wanted to visit them for ages, talked about it since our last family reunion, and now they live just 30 minutes from the Ark so we will likely see them more and more! I tell you what. To plan a stay with family in the middle of a road trip is just perfect. We were ready to rest. Aunt Connie fed us incredible meals (we had eaten a lot of fast food up until that point!) and our kids got a day to play and lay low. It was perfection. And I love family sleepovers so much. That first night the adults stayed up at the kitchen table eating bowls of cereal and talked until way too late. You just can't beat that kind of family time! So just be aware, if you're relatives of ours, we're likely going to come and stay at your house sometime. Because we love you!

And Uncle Paul made Ivar his very own didgeridoo! And Ivar could really do it. We would hear these low whale calls from all over the house, and it was just Ivar and Uncle Paul making music together. What a riot! Uncle Paul even let Ivar take his home. I can't make the sound. I've tried blowing low raspberries, but it's a real art. But Ivar has got it. We'll need to find him a didgeridoo ensemble somewhere...

And their house was so lovely. Aunt Connie has the most beautiful taste in vintage decorating and I left so inspired to come home and add some thought to my own decor. Every room felt warm and inviting. Especially this sunny tub for Hattie to get her bath.

We got to see my cousin Isaac and his family the second night and had an awesome family meal together. We were so well taken care of and left with a little swing back in our step for the drive back to Minnesota.

On the way there and the way home we stayed in Merrilville, Indiana. It was the perfect place to stop both there and back, and to our great, great delight, home of the Albanese Candy Outlet Store...a gummy factory! We got to watch gummy bears and peachy o's being made in the factory and then got to shop from all the choices in the candy store. Honestly, I think I was more excited than the kids. Which is saying a lot because they were the actual kids in the candy store...

I could go on and on about this trip (oh I already have?!!). But it was just that good. Top to bottom, it was a great time of family togetherness. A great time of training our kids in the way they should go. A great time of enjoying relatives and introducing our kids to more family who love them dearly. Here's to more family vacations!