memories are worth making

one of my most cherished childhood memories is of early saturday mornings with my (step)dad. when i was little, and up through middle school, my sister and i would wake up bright and early on saturday mornings and find him out on the back porch drinking coffee, reading the paper with one hand and with the other, playing fetch with our dog, diamond. my mom and brothers would still be asleep for a while. my dad would give us big hugs and scratch our cheeks with his whiskers. and then his voice would go silly and he would ask us "who wants dooooooooonuts?" and my sister and i would squeal and run to get in the car. he took us to the donut shop just down the street. we were always still in our pajamas, bed head and barefoot, and sometimes still carrying a blankey or lovey. and we got donuts. and chocolate milk. it was our thing. i loved it.

donut shops are special to me, to my sister, and to dad, because they bring back that precious memory that we share. i didn't know we were making a memory at the time. i wonder if my dad knew?

i realize now that my dad could have easily spent those saturday mornings mowing the lawn or doing paperwork in his office. but he chose instead to take the time to take his sleepyhead daughters to buy dozens of donuts with sprinkles, not just once but time and time again. the lawn can wait. the paperwork will always be there. but the sun is rising and his daughters are young and he made the most of those moments.

just the other day, 20 years since our last trip to the donut shop together, i got this text message from him:

memories are worth making.

i wonder... what memories am i making now with my children that we will cherish 20 years from now? to what places do we go these days that will forever be special to them? what do they love that we do? what is our thing?




{psssst: did you enter the Seattle's Best Coffee giveaway yet?}