The Gift of Time Together
Life had been full for the Gonzalez family.
“Life is busy,” Katie shared. “We have been adjusting to being a family of five, and there always seems to be something going on.”
Between caring for their three boys, including five-month-old Nathaniel, and the normal responsibilities of everyday life, the days moved quickly.
Katie and her husband
For years, Katie had heard about Presidents’ Day Weekend at CAMP-of-the-WOODS through her cousin, who had been bringing his family for several winters.
“My cousin has been bringing his family to Presidents’ Day Weekend for several years, and I’ve always wondered what it was like at COTW in the winter,” she said.
Katie had been coming to COTW during the summer season since she was an infant, and in January, she realized their schedules were finally free for a winter getaway in the Adirondacks. Surprisingly, Katie said, “There was a room in Purdy that opened up the same day!”
Gonzalez family and cousins
The timing felt especially meaningful. “It was also our 12th wedding anniversary that weekend,” she explained. “So we decided having a special time away with our children was exactly what we needed.”
Looking back, Katie sees God’s hand in the way it all came together. “God definitely ordered our steps to come this year.”
What she hoped for was simple: “I was hoping for quality time together, away from daily tasks and distractions,” she said. “I wanted my children to have time with their cousins, and I knew they would have a blast in the snow.”
Boys rock climbing
Two moments from the weekend stand out clearly in Katie’s memory. The first happened on Sunday afternoon at the rock wall. “My older boys begged to go to the rock wall,” she said. “We brought them over on Sunday afternoon.”
Her five-year-old son Jackson climbed first. “Jackson, my middle son, was so excited and fearlessly climbed all the way up to the top!”Theodore, her eight-year-old, needed a little more time. “After several tries and lots of encouragement, my oldest, Theodore, conquered his fear and made it to the top also.”
Watching them celebrate their accomplishment was a moment Katie won’t forget.
“It was so beautiful seeing how proud they both were of what they had accomplished and celebrating with them.”
Playing in the snow
Later that evening, another moment unfolded. “As the sun was going down, we bundled up and played in the snow as a family,” Katie said. She sat holding baby Nathaniel while watching her husband and older boys play together in the snow. “As I sat with my five-month-old, watching my husband and older boys play together, I couldn’t help but thank God for my incredible blessings and answered prayers.”
In the middle of the weekend’s activities, those quiet moments together stood out the most. “Having time to slow down and do things with my family was such a gift.”
Eventually, the Gonzalez family packed up and headed home, returning to the normal rhythms of life. But the weekend left something lasting behind: “I’m renewed in my thankfulness for my family,” Katie said.
The memories of those small moments—watching her boys climb higher than they thought they could and playing together in the snow as the sun went down—are ones she will hold onto. “Having that time together during Presidents’ Weekend was so special,” she reflected. “I will carry the memories with me always.”