Oh to be young again.

How many of you had sisters or brothers or both?  Did you ever go for rides in the car with your parents when you were young?  How many of you fought for the window seat or shot gun in the front seat?  Were there more kids than window seats in the car?  I'm here to tell you a story about just that.

In our family, we went for a drive every Sunday.  You did not get asked if you wanted to go, it was just an unspoken rule.   It was family time.  It was a time for you to talk, sing and visit with the rest of your family.  We had a ball most of the time, but at times all that was heard was fighting and arguing about where you were sitting and who was beside you.

There were three of us girls, mom and dad.  My little sister usually sat in the front seat between mom and dad, but there were times when all three of us were forced to sit in the backseat.  This usually caused a big fight that started with the statement "She's touching me or she's looking at me".  That lead to repeated punches from the sister you were beside and usually a slap from mom.  None of us saw the slap before it hit. We were never sure how or when Mom's arm grew to the length it took to reach us.

I was the oldest and usually sat behind my dad.  Deb was beside the window, behind mom and Char in the middle, with NO WINDOW.  It is tough to the be smallest of three kids in a car with only side windows.  At times we would take turns laying in the back window.  It was fun looking up at the sky, laying on your back.  If you got caught letting a kid do that now, you would probably get arrested for child endangerment.  Back then, it was accepted to do things like that, just like riding in the back of a pickup truck was ok.

I can remember going for drives all the time.  It was fun and usually entertaining.  We went everywhere together.  I am really lucky to have had the childhood I did.  We did not have a lot of money, but got to do a lot of fun things with our parents.  We cut our own Christmas Tree every year, went on camping trips every summer, and travelled to different places, always together.  Back then I am not sure we thought it was all that great a thing to do, but if  I had it to do over again I would not change anything. 

We were together as a family.  It is fun to remember all the things we did, and no matter where we went or what car we took, before the trip was over there was always someone yelling  about something the other sister or sisters had done or were doing.  Now we just smile and giggle when we hear, "Mom, she's touching me" or "Mom, tell her to quit looking at me".  Kids will be kids.  We had a great life at home and on the road with Mom and Dad.  Oh to be young again.