I have always valued experiences over things. There’s just something about spending time with people I care about, especially if we’re doing something outdoors, that brings me so much joy.
Most of my family lives in Minnesota, where I grew up, but I moved to Arizona in 2014 and decided to be very intentional about the time I spent with my niece and three nephews. I don’t see them very often, so I need to make the most of my time with them. As each of them turned 5, they got to participate in the annual Auntie Rie Camping Trip. Thirteen years later, we’ve created a pile of memories by spending time pitching tents, cooking over a fire, and learning to canoe.
As they got older, I knew these annual trips would eventually come to an end, and I wanted to do something special with them one-on-one. So before my oldest niece, Madi, turned 18, I decided to give the best high school graduation gift I could think of – a gift certificate for a 7 Day Motor Grand Canyon rafting trip. We were both a little nervous. Madi had heard my stories of epic rapids and hikes with some steep drop-offs. I wanted her to know what she was getting into and that she needed to respect the power of the river and the harsh landscape we’d be in. But I also wanted her to know that those very same things are part of what makes the trip so amazing.
Well, we had nothing to worry about. She made friends with the other kids quickly. They played cards at camp, sang songs in the rain, and held on tight through rapids that made them shriek with delight. In the end, the very same rapids that had made her nervous were one of her favorite things about the trip. We hiked to incredible overlooks, played in waterfalls, and ate way too much food. She raved about the pork chop dinner and the huge breakfasts. Were there times she was uncomfortable? You bet. Sometimes we were super hot, and other times we were all talking about how our butts were soggy from sitting on the rafts all day. She often mentioned that she couldn’t wait for a shower. But none of that stopped her from having an absolute blast.
My niece and nephews mean a lot to me, and I love seeing how they change from year to year. I love making memories with them by pushing our comfort zones, living outdoors, and meeting new people.
My niece just finished her first year in college (how did that happen so fast?!). I’m so glad we have gotten to spend quality time together. Whether we’re camping in Minnesota, hiking up to the Nankoweap Granaries, or rafting through Lava Falls, the memories we’ve made are priceless. We’ll tell these stories for the rest of our lives.
This year, it’s my nephew’s turn to raft the Grand Canyon with me, and we can hardly wait!