take me back

do you remember how long we waited?

months, weeks, days, and even counting down the hours til the plane landed;

the thirteen of us finally reunited.

that crazy flight filled with silly laughs

sure to annoy the other passengers surrounding our family.

all of us spread out along the rows of seats.

we swam in the ocean for hours that day.

letting the salty goodness wash over us,

too excited to worry about sunscreen and hydration.

but we paid for it later.

bending over the counters side by side,

whining for our moms to put aloe on our blistered shoulders.

you guys were so pissed,

the hours spent in the tanning salon peeling right off your backs.

we traveled in taxis packed to the brim

each time spilling out into the streets,

like a slinky crawling down the stairs.

thirteen different conversations filling the air,

as we made our way through each little adventure we had set out on.

exploring a beautiful postcard of a town that could only be reached by boat,

shopping in sweltering heat and getting a feel for the locals,

a girls' trip to get our hair tightly braided,

cooking the nine foot sailfish the boys caught on their fishing trip,

the hours spent setting up camp at the pool each day,

and savoring each moment of beach before our time was up.

i want to get back there.

to the sweaty, lazy heat cooled down by a dip in the pool.

to each uncontrollable fit of laughter.

to a week of family breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

to those peaceful nights when you could sleep easy

and there wasn't anything to worry about.

take me back,

to where you could never ask for more.