“Honey, I think we should get a trailer.” When I heard these words escape from my wife’s lips, the first thought that came to mind was “I am not trailer trash”. My dream has always been to own a cabin on the lake. I want to sit on the deck and watch the fish jump, hear the loons call one another, and occasionally get caught skinny-dipping by friends that just happened to leave town a few hours earlier than expected. (“I think it’s great you came early......can you please pass me the towel?.....well, um, actually the water is quite cold, but thanks for asking.”) But a trailer? Is that really me?

Another large part of the dream of the cabin is so that I can “pay it forward” as well, and offer my cabin to those who simply need some grace. So while I believe the cabin is attainable in my lifetime, it likely wouldn’t happen while my kids are still young. I am a firm believer of creating memories with and for your children. After all, once we are old and grey, all we really have is our memories, and hopefully a tooth or two. It was this fact that started me to rethink the trailer thing. If I had a trailer, I could have a cabin on any lake I chose. We could go down to the Grand Canyon, sleep on the beach on the Oregon coast, go see Yogi and Boo-Boo at Jellystone National Park, and of course camp with our friends. The reality is I simply could not see myself in the typical trailer with its’ fake mahogany wood grain and tacky orange seat cushions and, *barf*, vinyl siding. I have always done things just a little differently than everyone else; it is what makes me me. I told my beautiful little wife the only way I would consider getting a trailer is if it’s an Airstream. “Are you serious, the big silver looking thing?” And so begins the negotiation. She wants to camp with friends, I want style, comfort, and quality. (Ok, maybe a bit of flash as well.) I once heard a great definition for marriage...”Marriage is a negotiation, a constant, never-ending, give & take, sacrificing negotiation.” It’s true. Certainly love, respect, laughter, faithfulness, compassion and more make up a marriage, but for it to be successful, both participants have to learn when to bend. I’m not the greatest negotiator, she’s definitely going to need some convincing.....
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