July 5, 2014 the girls and I slept until noon. After wiping the sleep from our eyes, we met on the porch for some "girl talk" during our discussion we decided we should do something different. The weather was beautiful, and we had the "go somewhere" bug. It took less than 10 minutes to decided that heading to the mountains for a canoe trip was a perfect way to spend the day.
Our day was slipping away, noon was upon us, Lake James is over an hour away and we all were still in jammies. We made it a game to see how quickly we could get ready. Both girls asked me to invite Andrew to join us. I agreed with the warning to both girls that not everyone can get ready at a moments notice.
Andrew did decline our offer, he had some things at home to take care of.
I consoled the girls by reminding them that once in a while its fun to have "girl day". The girls and I left our apartment and set out for an unknown adventure and lots of laughter.
We were full of anticipation as we headed to Lake James, ready to grab a canoe and relax on the lake. We were going to solve the problems of the world as we canoed the lake and floated on the water.
First things first, I have a very small intimate circle of people I allow into my life. Years ago my soul sister gave me this CD, this special CD was a compilation of every song I loved, Michele knew without asking just which John Denver and Indigo Girls songs made me happiest, mostly because she had spend many hours listening on spur of the moment road trips with her children and mine. Michele and I are total opposites- She plans everything to the second, I pick up and go. (not that I don't plan, but I enjoy random-ness) She was learning to relax and enjoy my carefree nature in her "planned to the second" life. I also think deep down she started to love John Denver just as much as we did. Its hard to beat singing along at the top of your lungs "Country roads take me home" as you drive into the mountains, or "Get out the map" when you take random roads in unknown places when your day gets blown off course.
Saturday the girls and I drove and sang and sang and drove, we listened to all of our favorite songs, old and new. Tradition is important to me, and is something I want both of the girls understand the importance of as well. As the miles passed our excitement grew. We have always loved going to this particular place we are headed. Some of our best memories are from Lake James with a John Denver/Indigo Girls Sound track. My girls grew up listening to John Denver, Enya, and Indigo Girls. They never listened to the trendy pop stars, or the latest country song to come out. Those three musicians were the core of what we listened to no matter where we went. There was of course, also the Irish Rovers with that silly unicorn song the girls all loved.
The photos above is from one of our last camping trips; I think Britt was about 7 and Heather Riley was 5. I had an amazing friend back then, Lena. Between the two of us we had 7 kids. My girls loved her like a second mother. She taught me to smile under any and all circumstances. She is the person that taught me how to love selflessly. I learned the importance of always having love in my heart, She taught me that being bitter about my life and circumstance was not going to make the situation better, instead it just makes it worse. I would retrospectively look at our friendship and realize God was using it and the situations we found ourselves in to bring us both to Him. I marvel at how vital the roles we played in each others lives became. The road twisted perfectly to bring us where we were meant to be. Each thorny briar in our way was necessary to shape us into who we were meant to become, or are becoming. When we lost touch I grieved over the loss of her for a long time. Seven years would pass before I would reconnect with her again. We picked up as though it had just been yesterday when we last spoke. I will always deeply love her for the many lessons we learned through one another.
Once the Girls and I arrived at the lake we knew it was too late. The last canoe was rented out, not even a single kayak was available. We were not about to let that get us down, not in the least. The day was beautiful. We could have just gone to the public access and swam, but the public swimming access area was packed and very unappealing. We got back into the car and decided we would just drive. Sometimes the best things are unplanned adventures.
We went sight seeing, and hiking in some very random places off the beaten path. We ultimately wanted to swim. After all we did drive to the lake in out swimsuits. So we continued on our way. finding beauty as we went.
Finally we found what felt like the right place to pull over and check out a possible swimming place.
Sure enough this was the perfect spot for swimming. It was a little difficult to get to, but it was well off the path, it was private and most of all it felt perfect. After scouting it out we grabbed all three of our floats and headed to the water.
There was no where to ease into it, the only option was to "jump in" and so we did.
.
As I am blowing up my own float I heard Britt scream. I look over and see her doing what appears to be walking on water. It was a very odd sight to see at first glance. Then I realize she is standing on a fallen tree. I approach the situation to discover a possibly bad situation.
Britt has floated over a tree and popped her float. She is a quickly sinking ship.
Fortunately the water was shallow enough at one end that she was able to stand up. It was of course getting back up onto the bank where I was sitting that was a special challenge.
After the float popped we decided to find something different to do. On Fathers day we happened upon a rickety one lane bridge. On that day we chose not to cross it. The girls and I decided we wanted to take pictures and cross it. So we went looking for it.
The bridge was rickety and very unsettling to cross, that added to the excitement as we went across.
After the bridge we decided to start back home. It was getting late and we were getting tired. There was plenty we could still find to explore as we drove home. - and we did.
Learning to slow down and enjoy every moment.
Britt decided to play out the lyrics to one of our favorite songs at a rest stop "get out the map, and lay your finger anywhere down"
I am not sure that we can finance a trip that far out right now.. but maybe one day soon. It sure would be fun.. For now we will stick to day trips.
Feeling a little disappointed that her "finger laying" didn't win a trip to the coast, we headed out for ice cream instead as we made the final few miles back to Huntersville.
After Icre cream I discovered the most bizarre out dated "thing" I gave the girls a wonderful history lesson.
A phone, a phone connected to a cord.. you even have to put money into it and push buttons.. I was greatly disappointed (not shocked though) that it did not work. I can not recall the last time I happened upon a pay phone that actually worked. I have made it a personal quest to find one that actually works. So far I have only seen them as a canvas for grafitti and geocache locations. ET wasn't able to phone home on the old fashioned phone so we jumped back into the car and headed south
By the time we got home it was dinner time. We were to tired to do anything so we settled for chips, salsa and cheese dip at home. We crashed on the sofa with pillows and blankets to watch a classic movie. Heather Riley ended the night with a conversation that I thought I had escaped for the day, but in the quiet moments of our lives we all know there is something missing. Each of us in a different capacity have the same empty feelings in our hearts. I pray every night for the strength and words to comfort her, but as each day passes it gets harder and harder. I am running out of words and she is getting smarter and more vocal.
As I do every day, I pray asking the Lord to give us all peace in our hearts and the strength to follow His will in our lives without protest or fear. This is a period in my life that it is difficult to know what I am supposed to be doing, and saying to a lot of the most important people. I take time away from the world into quiet places like the mountains, we go seeking clarity. I hate when my clarity becomes clouded with uncertainty and fear. That little face framed with the red curls making the pouty face, I will have her for the remainder of my life, I just want to provide her love and security, and thats all she asks for as well. If only it were that simple.
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