“You’re doing what?” exclaimed my new son in law.

“I’m hunting for hidden treasures, like scavenger hunts for adults,” I explained.

”Oh my gosh, Brittanie, you’re mom has truly lost it,” he said to my daughter. “I guess this is what 40 year olds in mid-life crises that are suffering from empty nest syndrome do with their spare time.”

This was the beginning of my geocaching exposure. In August 2003 I saw an article in our local paper about this new “techno” sport. Now, my athletic son-in-law would beg to differ that it should be called a sport. But that it is.

I decided right away to purchase a GPS unit from our local sporting goods store. Thus it must be a sport if the equipment is sold in a sporting goods store, right?

You see, I have a huge sense of adventure, and all it needed to get to feverish proportions was to read an article about hiking around all over the country trying to locate small objects that may have some hidden treasure to find. So after a sales pitch to my youngest daughter about the whole idea, we make our first trek to the local sporting goods store to purchase our first GPS unit! And alas, we are now a part of the new craze!

The truth of the matter is, yes, I’m a 40-year-old mother of 3 girls (just barely 40, I might add). All in one year, my oldest daughter got married and moved away to Birmingham to start a church with her new husband, who was called into the ministry.

Next, my second daughter went away to college in Tennessee, and my 3rd daughter turned 13, all in the same year.

Now, for a mother who is turning 40 and all this happens within a 4-month period, well, seeking treasure along long-lost trails in the woods seemed like pretty good refuge.

On a serious note...The best part is...I was feeling disconnected with my 13yr. old...like that is a new concept, huh? So I thought that this new “sport” might be something that would help reconnect us.

Some 30-odd caches later, we are hooked! We’ve had a great time, climbing rock walls, challenging ourselves, frustrating each other trying to beat one another to the find. We’ve also found some other “junkies” to come along with us. Another mother/daughter team.

It has been a great bonding experience for us. When we moved my son-in-law, Andrew and daughter Brittanie to Birmingham, we took along the friendly “gekko”. With very little persuasion, we had them both driving us all over the city treasure hunting! What a hoot!

After 3 or 4 finds, along a beautiful path in the heart of the hills of Birmingham, amongst the fallen leaves, and sunlit path winding along a tinkling stream, I looked over my shoulder upon the discovery of the cache, and saw Andrew sitting upon a rock, enjoying the surroundings. I stopped to absorb the moment.

The excitement of finding the treasure, couldn’t compare to the joy I felt of spending some time with 2 of my 3 daughters, in such serene surroundings, and realizing that my new “son” was enjoying it with us.

Geocaching is so much more than just finding the “treasures” hidden in boxes in the most remote places. It’s finding the treasures found in some of the most special places...the place of the heart, with people you love the most.

So, perhaps he was right. This is what mothers, who are going through a mid-life crisis, experiencing the empty nest syndrome do with their spare time. It’s proven to be very valuable!

Thanks for the opportunity to find a way to bond again with my 13 yr. old, and affirm the ideas of my new son-in-law, that his mother-in-law is committed to “seeking till she finds.”

I’ve not “lost it”. I’ve found it!