two weeks til maine

Two weeks until we are in Maine!!  I'm itching to get there for a nice relaxing vacation with some of my favorite people. My parents arrived in Maine two days ago and are enjoying their time. My brother David and his girlfriend Nichole arrive to Maine in 8 days and then we'll be there. Caleb & I are flying out to Maine with Krista & Daniel (Caleb's sister and her husband). We'll get to overlap one day with David and Nichole still there and then another day with my parents until they fly out back to South Carolina. 

My mom grew up in Maine until she went to college in Boston. My grandfather still lives in the same house my mom grew up and even my grandpa himself grew up in. We call grandpa's house and property "the Farm." When my mom was a kid and generations before her it was a farm with cows and chickens. Our property at the lake has been in the family for multiple generations, and the name of it is Camp NOCC. NOCC stands for No Cows or Chickens since it was an escape away from the Farm. My grandmother passed away when I was young about 6 years old. My family had a cabin built on the property at the lake after her passing to have as a place for family and generations to come and enjoy being together in Maine. I miss my Grandma Nance and am thankful for the memories I do have with her both in Maine and when she'd come to visit us where we lived. My aunts and uncles are still in New England living in Massachusetts some with houses in Maine also. Aunt Jane & Uncle Steve have just begun the process of building their house to retire in Maine right up the road from the cabin.

Property at my Grandpa's house "the Farm" during Fall one year.

Uncle Steve, my dad, Grandpa, Uncle Will relaxing around the campfire ring

I have many special childhood memories in Maine as well as many memories into my adult years. It was a blessing to go to Maine every summer and even sometimes twice a year when we'd make it there for Christmas in all the snow or another holiday like Memorial Day. I look forward to continue spending our vacations in Maine and our future kids getting to experience Maine just as I did growing up. It will be great having Aunt Jane & Uncle Steve right up the road in their house to spend time with when we come stay at Camp NOCC. 

Last summer was my first summer I didn't make it to Maine, but that was okay. I missed being there, but I had something else new and fresh on my mind to keep me distracted from missing Maine. Caleb and I had just moved out here to Colorado in May and we were having a blast exploring Colorado Springs, Gunnison, and other areas close by. Since Caleb started working as a nurse last summer we didn't have any vacation time to get to Maine. So I'm really itching to get there this summer. Camden & Lincolnville Maine have always been a second home to me.

Camden Harbor

View from our cabin's porch