OBX

So Lauren, where are you from? That's the million dollar question. "Ahhhhh..." I pause. What should I say? Park City? Potomac? But if I say Potomac then I have to explain that I moved when I was 12, before high school, which as everyone likes to tell me, doesn't really count. But if I say Park City, then everyone wants to know why I'm out east, which circles back to.....I'm a Potomac girl. I also really do love Utah and I've skied since I was a year old, so really...you can begin to see the dilemma.

This weekend brought back a flood of memories. The outer banks of North Carolina can best be described in one word: Magical. It's where my dad realized that he wanted to marry the incredible woman that is my mom...and have me! It's where I spent my summers since I was a baby, the only time I got to spend with all of my cousins, building giant sandy jacuzzis, riding bikes, rollerblading. It's where I learned how to water ski in currituck sound, it's where I learned to fly kites from Grandpa Glenn's boardwalk.

It's where I learned about Blackbeard, Headless Hattie and the ghost pirates that roamed the outer banks. It's also where I learned to go crabbing, catching crabs for our dinner and having big crab and shrimp feasts. I rode my tricycle around Splash and Grandad's courtyard and at night Grandpa would take us out on the beach to hunt for crabs.

It's also where I fell in love with outdoor showers and the wild horses that roam the island. The first time I've ever been scared of the water was swimming in the ocean at the outer banks, and I was carried away by a strong current where I could no longer touch the sand bar and Grandpa Glenn rescued me.

It's also where I learned to boogie board, and where my dad held my hand as we looked for shells together. We had movie nights, talent nights, charades nights, and lots of birthday celebrations.

Look at those long skinny legs!

When it rained we took boogie boards and played in the flooded streets. We played football on the beach. Got stung by jellyfish. Got splinters from the boardwalk. Ate lots of fudge. And did lots of puzzles. The teenage guys from our ward would show up early in the morning to surf with my dad. Grandad would take us fishing. The outer banks is where I had tuna fish with baby pickles every single day and my favorite toy was Dino the blown up green dinosaur (along with Babar the elephant).

My favorite part of the drive...the long bridge spanning the water

Although the memories I have seem to go on forever, my parents grew up there too, and the memories they have there could last a lifetime. In fact, not long ago when I was an intern, a man came up to me and said "you look just like your mother." I looked up, surprised. He said he remembered my mom from when he took his family to the outer banks and spent time with the Potters. I have an impressionable family, what can I say.

So I went back to my roots, made the 5 hour drive to Corolla and soaked in every part of it. It honestly felt like nothing had changed since I had left. The weather was hot, the beach Perfect in every way, the water cold but refreshing and the company was exciting to say the least. I ran into people that I grew up with, and a lot of people that knew my dad. It became a running joke actually, when I'd meet someone and they said "oh yeah, I heard about you" and my friends and would say "her or her legendary dad?" It's true, Bill Johnson is a legend on the east coast, and building quite the fan club.

This week felt like a year. I learned to merengue dance, swing dance, and then I went home. First to DC, then to Corolla, where I was reminded, this is where I'm from. Sometimes all it takes is a visit to where you started from, to get you pumped for where you are going, and remind you of who you really are. Hi, I'm Lauren, I'm from Potomac, Maryland, most recently Park City, Utah, and my dad is Bill Johnson. Oh yeah, and I love the beach!

1.5 lbs of fudge later...