In November of 2018 when I moved into my own home, my two little loves and I talked about pitching a tent in the back yard for a night of camping.  They had never slept in a tent and the idea of it sent them over the moon with joy.  

We talked about back yard camping at least ten times since the idea was born. 

Last night, 19 months and what feels like a lifetime later, we finally did it.  

You see, recently my good friend Katie gifted me a tent.  Yep, a tent.  She’s seriously amazing.  One of the most thoughtful and generous people I’ve ever known.  She’s the type of friend that comes over to hang out and shows up with wine, flowers, every snack imaginable, and this one time, Fancy Sprinkles, the best sprinkles that exist on planet Earth, but that’s a story for another time. 

Back to the tent…

After receiving it, I put it in the back of my Honda Pilot and had every intention to hide it in my garage so that my kids wouldn’t see it and I wouldn’t have to figure out how to set it up or break it down or sleep outside in it and break my back in half. 

I know. I’m a terrible human, but for whatever reason, the thought of it all overwhelmed me.  I had lost sight of the fact that nearly 19 months had passed since my kids and I talked about our camping adventure and I just wanted to hide the tent away. In plain English, I was being selfish and lazy.

There.  I said it. 

Thankfully though, my plan failed. 

I forgot the tent was in my trunk until yesterday morning when I opened it to pack the car for a weekend in Maine with my family and my son exclaimed, “Is that a tent Mommy!?!?!” 

Oh man... 

“Yes.  It’s a tent love.”

In the most excited, seven year old voice he replied, “YESSSS!!! Can we sleep in it tonight?” 

Oh man...

“Of course! Yes! We can set it up in Maine!” 

I mean, clearly I wasn’t getting out of this one. 

I counted three times in just over an hour car ride that my kids asked if we could set it up IMMEDIATELY upon arrival to Maine.  Excited would be an understatement for how they were feeling. 

After arriving in Maine early in the morning and working all day, I shut down my computer, we hit the beach and soaked in the salty air, we played in the ocean and all it’s glory, and when we got back to the house, I took a deep breath and decided it was go time. The kids couldn’t have ripped the box open any faster! We unpacked the tent and went to town setting it up. 

IT WAS FREAKIN AWESOME! 

What the heck had I been waiting for?!? And how had 19 months passed since this idea had been born?!?

My kids helped put the poles together and unpack all the pieces. We worked together to lay the tent down just where we wanted it in the back yard.  My parents even took part helping to stake it down.  At one point, my Dad was walking along the side of the tent helping to put the fly shield on top, caught his shoe on a stake, and down he went, but not like an “oh my god did you break your neck?!?” type fall.  I swear, it was like a slow motion, tuck and roll, so graceful for a 6’5” giant fall. Yes, he is OK thank God! My Mom and I laughed so hard we nearly peed our pants.  The whole experience of doing it together was classic! I will never forget setting up that tent.

Once the tent was up, the excitement on my little ones faces was priceless.  It was happening! Their eyes wide, their smiles giant and their souls filled with pure joy, they ran inside immediately to get their stuffed animals, blankets, mattresses (my back was so happy!), pillows, and all their camping supplies!  They set up shop in the tent and played and giggled and had the time of their lives together. Such an adventure! 

Later in the evening, the three of us headed back out to settle in for the night.  As we laid in the tent under a near full moon lighting up the sky above us, listening to the ocean waves crashing, I felt like the luckiest human in the world. Surrounded by their sea of stuffed animals, we used the flashlight to make shadow puppets, we laughed, we told stories, and we cuddled.  When we said our prayers, they each added in that they were thankful for backyard camping.  My heart nearly exploded. 

After an hour or so, they fell asleep, their little bodies wrapped up in my arms.  All the stress of the day, all the work I still needed to get done, all the troubles of the world faded away as I laid there in the tent, listening to the ocean, feeling so much love and so much gratitude for the gift of experiencing this adventure with my little loves.  

I woke at 4:45 AM to some light rain, distant thunder, and a light breeze that “made the tent breathe” as my son told me. It was perfection.

As I sit here writing this this morning, my neck a little stiff, my back a little angry, and not enough coffee in the world for this tired Mama, I wouldn’t change a thing, except to say I should have pitched the tent 19 months ago.

Last night goes down in history as one of the best. The memory of my little ones so overwhelmed with joy is something I will never forget.

With all the sadness, overwhelm, anger, and destruction happening in the world around us, zipping up in our tent for a back yard camping adventure under the stars was just what I needed.

If there is something you have been wanting to do with your kids, your family, a friend, or even solo, do not wait.

Time is fleeting.

Do it today.

Pitch the tent, say YES to the adventure, and love this one life we get to live.