There is always a learning curve when you go on vacation.  Sometimes the curve is a good thing and sometimes the curve isn't so great.  Our eight day vacation was one of both.  Coming from a state that is full of high entertainment, the farm was a great experience to taste and feel.  Not only did we become used to the slow pace of life, but the children learned the value of land and each other.  Away from friends, television, and computers,  my three amigos worked together in finding new things to occupy their time.  Our oldest son took more walks around the farm and talked more openly with his dad; the younger son learned how to be patient and enjoy his time with nature despite his cast; and the little one learned how to be more independent from me like swing on a "big girl" seat by herself.


This sort of life brought out the good moods and character in our family. Of course there was much more that they discovered within the eight days, but to find words that justify the peace and joy the slow-life brought to our family is hard to do.

As for the learning curve going  the opposite direction of a "good" thing, we had our experience on the way home. First of all, traveling during the day (14 hours) always adds a few more adventures onto the plan and a few more dollars are spent.  As dinner approached just hours from our home, we got this wild hair to stop in Las Vegas and eat somewhere quick, cheap and easy, away from the casinos.  We've heard about places like that from people - so, with our wallets hitting near empty we decided to  see what we could find.  Of course, being ignorant in this area we had a few surprises.  Well, lets just say my son summed it up when he handed my youngest son a pillow to block the billboard advertisement on the side of the bus that was beside us.  Reading the signs for t-shirts, my youngest son announces that he would like to use his allowance to buy those "ladies" walking on the streets (I use that word lightly) some clothes!  We wasted an hour trying to find Treasure Island for some fun kid pirate food - only to find out that there were no children and no pirates to see!!!  Cheap food?  Not at $21 a plate!  Needless to say, we went somewhere else.  Actually we stopped at a highly advertised Greek fast-food place for sandwiches.  However, as we walk in to be seated, my son points out the greek statues carefully places throughout the restaurant - you guess it...  unclothed!  Oh!  Well, we had to eat (it was late)...  so I tried to explain the history of Greece and the meaning of statues (homeschooling mom at work).  However, a phone conversation with grandma later revealed that what I said didn't stick.  "Yeah Grandma, we went from a place with Christian people to a place that didn't have one Christian in it.  We saw a bunch of naked people."  That went over well, let me tell you.   Anyway, our learning curve was large in scale - but the lasting impression of our simple vacation is unmeasurable.  It is good and we can't wait to see what the Lord leads us to do next.