Together in Colorado

I can't remember a single Meidell vacation that was all lounge chairs, spas and virgin margaritas. No, no. That crap is for sissies.

Instead, we fill our days by bouncing from one activity to the next so that we don't feel like the little time we spend together is wasted. I think it's the way to go, but it leaves me sleeping like the dead the night I return home.

Our most recent weekend trip to Colorado Springs was special to me. It was the last time my entire immediate family would be together for more than two years. My brother Tyler leaves in late October to serve an LDS mission in San Antonio. I gave him a final squeeze at the airport before they rushed to their terminal.

The entire purpose of the annual Colorado trip is to spend time with my sister Lindsay during Parent's Weekend at the Air Force Academy. Another reason this trip was special is it's Lindsay's last year! It's the last time I'd ever eat Falcon blue popcorn at a football game or find myself dozing off during the "parade"--in case you don't know what a parade is in the military, I'll give you a hint: there are no floats and you will not find candy. I'll never be allowed on school grounds without her to escort me.

I could go on and on about all the things we did. To make the trip even more exciting, I found myself at one point sitting on a downtown Denver street corner with my grandmother's head in my lap. She started to dip and sway, so I lowered her down with my forearms under her armpits and stroked her clammy skin as the paramedics came. Grandma said she hadn't fainted since she was pregnant with my dad. Dalton sprinted six blocks to find her a juice box.

One night, we were cave explorers--OK, we had a tour guide--and learned about all the "haunted" instances people experienced inside the Cave of the Winds' walls. Apparently, some joker set up a bedroom and hosted parties in this place. He must have been cold all the time. At one point, we were asked to turn our lanterns off and a 30-year-old woman, I kid you not, started to freak out. She kept turning her phone light on saying, "Oh my gosh guys, I can't do this, I just can't." For crying out loud, grow a pair lady! It was after 9 p.m. by the time we ate dinner at Rudy's BBQ. I would fast for seven days and seven nights if it meant I got to taste more of their delicious turkey. My perfect Thanksgiving will include this turkey.

I had another food highlight during this trip, and that was eating fried alligator at the Taste of Colorado festival. We paid about $2 for a few cornmeal-breaded, fried pieces of alligator. Imagine that chicken has the texture of fish. That is alligator. The Denver Art Museum was fantastic, but I'm into that kind of a thing. I was so impressed that they had a Monet and Renoir. Dalton was a good sport about it, and seemed excited when I recommended we go to the cowboy/Native American art on the seventh floor. What a boy! I drew a lovely colored-pencil drawing of poppies while we were there and left it for a glum soul to find. We also went to the always-loved miniature golf course that spews flames out of a volcano. Oh, and don't forget the holes surrounding the crashed plane scene--also engulfed in flames.

Before this trip, I had never been so high in the sky that I could look out at the horizon and seen more than three states at one time. I could actually see the curvature of the Earth when we were standing on Pike's Peak. I mean, whoa! I saw big-horned sheep, little furry marmots and mountains stretching for hundreds of miles. At the top I got a little flavor of fall and enjoyed sipping hot chocolate and snuggling in my hoodie.

Then there are all the classic AFA parent's weekend traditions, such as accompanying Lindsay to her "astronaut class," watching the football game (live falcons, skydivers and all), watching the parade, going to BBQs (Please, don't make me eat another floppy hamburger patty!), and exploring the never-ending, cavernous buildings on campus. Imagine navigating through one building that contained every class available to every student. If someone released me into that building alone, you would find my corpse one month later. Not a joke.

While all of this was well and good, I didn't need any of it. When I'm with my family, life is better. I belong with them and they are mine forever. I am so lucky. Having Dalton with all of us feels so natural, too, like we were saving a place for him.