You Forgot to Pack the Coffee?!?!? Strengthening Relationships Through Adversity

Have you ever had a family vacation that seemed more like an adventure from a survival movie? On this special bonus episode of Brain-Based Parenting, join me,  as I recount an unforgettable camping trip to the Rocky Mountains with my family. From a dramatic dog rescue in a raging river to a runaway tent in hurricane-force winds, our seemingly idyllic camping trip quickly turned into a series of unexpected and sometimes harrowing events. Through relentless rain, bone-chilling cold nights, and even a surprise bear visit, our perseverance and sense of humor were put to the ultimate test.

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

Welcome to the special bonus episode of Brain-Based Parenting , the Boys Ranch podcast for families . Instead of our usual format , we are dedicating this episode to sharing heartwarming , inspirational and perhaps even tear-jerking stories , from moments that bring a smile to your face to anecdotes that tug at your heartstrings . We are here to share stories that might make you laugh , cry or simply fill you with a renewed sense of hope . Let's celebrate the many facets of parenthood together . Now here's your host , joshua Sprott .

Speaker 2 0:34

It's summertime . That means for a lot of people it's family vacation time . Over the last few weeks I've heard several friends and family members talk about getting ready to go on their summer trips , or I've seen the pictures of their trips that they've just and they've just returned and posted on social media . Some of the stories have sounded like they were wonderful trips and all the kids behaved and made memories that will last a lifetime . I've also heard of a few other trips that were so rough that everyone swore that they would never take a family vacation again . This got me to thinking about a camping trip I was on , where I almost gave up camping forever .

Speaker 2 1:06

Several years ago , my wife April and my three daughters and my in-laws went on a camping trip to Colorado . We take a camping trip to the same campground every year and usually we go in late July and early August . That year , however , due to some scheduling conflicts , we picked the first weekend after school got out in June and headed up to the Rocky Mountains . It wasn't 10 minutes after we arrived that the camping trip from H-E Double Hockey Sticks started . We got out of our minivan and started to unpack , and while we were doing so , one of our dogs ran down to the mountain stream , which , at the end of July and August , is normally a peaceful mountain stream . However , in June , due to the melting snow runoff , it was a frigid , raging river and our dog decided to jump in and go for a swim . She was quickly whisked away by the current . Thankfully , my wife , april , made a mad dash and , in a heroic effort , was able to grab our dog by the collar and pull her to safety . Later that afternoon my nephew , who was only six months old at the time , was asleep for a nap in his tent when , out of nowhere , a hurricane force wind came and flipped his tent upside down . I don't think I've ever seen my sister-in-law run as fast as she did after that runaway tent . Thankfully , when she unzipped the tent door and my nephew was completely fine , he wasn't even crying .

Speaker 2 2:16

I checked the weather before we left Amarillo and it said only a 10% chance of rain . Well , I think they left a zero off because after the hurricane force wind came a monsoonal downpour which forced us all into our tents , where we were cooped up until about 7 pm . Finally , we were able to get out of our tent , only to find that the campground was a complete muddy mess . Fortunately , with the help of a lot of lighter fluid , we got the campfire going and ate some supper , and we even had some s'mores .

Speaker 2 2:41

As I mentioned earlier , we usually come in July and August and at nighttime the temperatures are actually pretty pleasant . Well , in early June that is not the case . Between the rain and the 30 degree temperatures , april , my three girls and I cuddled together and shivered the whole night through . Everything was so wet and we were all so cold . I'm pretty sure not one of us got a wink of sleep . Finally , dawn came and we went to restart the fire . Unfortunately , that's when I found out that I forgot to pack the coffee . It was the saddest morning ever .

Speaker 2 3:15

We're there for two more days and things were slightly better than the first day , but not by much . There was an incident with a fish hook where one of the kids snagged their parents' shirt and tore a pretty nice gash in it , and to top it all off , a bear ate some of our food one night . So over the week I may have been a little grumpy with April and I may have raised my voice a few times when my kids got into their 1,000th argument , but in the end we all survived , and I was never happier to be home and sleep in my own warm , comfy bed . It was interesting that next week , whenever I talked to anyone who asked me about our camping trip , they also had a story to share about a disastrous camping trip or vacation . Coincidentally , a few weeks later , april and I went to a marriage conference where the keynote speaker made a statement that , in his experience , most successful families that he knew have had a terrible no good , disastrous camping trip or vacation . He said that instead of thinking of these disastrous outings as negative , you need to look at these trips as a sign of a strong family unit .

Speaker 2 4:10

For what he said , three reasons . One , it's good to remember that this too shall pass . Everything , good or bad , eventually comes to an end . We may not feel it at the time , but with experience comes wisdom and a broader perspective . You can use what you learned in the situation to help you when you encounter future situations , and you can also realize it's going to end at some point . This too shall pass .

Speaker 2 4:32

Two , when you're away from the comforts of home and things start to break down and there isn't a grocery store just around the corner to go buy some coffee , you have to find a way to figure things out and in doing so , you have the opportunity to come together as a family and do things together you didn't know that you were capable of , and that makes you stronger .

Speaker 2 4:48

And three it's easy to say I love you and I'll always have your back when everything is sunshine and rainbows .

Speaker 2 4:54

But how much more powerful is it to say I love you when you're stuck in a cold , wet tent , getting no sleep and shivering the night away and say I'll always have your back to the person who forgot to pack the coffee ?

Speaker 2 5:04

So for those of you who haven't gone on a summer vacation yet , I do hope that when you do , it will be a very peaceful , relaxing and wonderful time where relationships are strengthened and you all make beautiful memories that will last you a lifetime . However , if everything does go sideways and the trip falls apart , I would challenge you to remember that you will get through it . See it as an opportunity to come together and for everyone to help each other out and to show grace and unconditional love to your kids and your spouse . You will have the opportunity to show them that you have their backs in both the good times and in the bad , and to let them know that your relationship can survive a difficult challenge , and remember crisis is opportunity If you have the chance to show your kids unconditional love and forgiveness , and it's even possible to forgive someone who forgets to pack the coffee . All right , thank you all for joining us today and until next week , remember you might have to loan out your front of lobes today . Just make sure you remember to get them back .

Speaker 1 5:58

Thank you for listening to Brain Based Parenting . We hope you enjoyed this show . If you would like more information about Cal Farley's Boys Ranch , are interested in employment , would like information about placing your child , or would like to help us help children by donating to our mission , please visit calfarleyorg . You can find us on all social media platforms by searching for Calfarley's . Thank you for spending your time with us and have a blessed day .