Day One: It's a long way to Gitchi Gummi

We packed and left early Friday morning for our trip to the Porcupine Mountains on Lake Superior. I was losing my breakfast only minutes before we left our house, so I was worried about how the drive would go. I managed to survive the entire way thanks to prayers and a lot of Tums. We enjoyed a beautiful picnic lunch on a lake in Michigan on the way up and we were very surprised that it had warmed up to 81 degrees even that far North!

A fun post-lunch photo with Nee-Gaw-Nee-Gaw-Bow in Wakefield, MI!

It was a long drive with Lil' Man not napping as much as I would have liked. The girls that were riding with us were saints for patiently handing toys and snacks to him and having him shake them awake when they would try to nap!

When we arrived at the Porcupine Mountains we split up. Paul, Lil' Man and I took the less steep 3 mile trail to Mirror Lake where we were all staying for the next three days. The ranger informed us that we weren't allowed to take the stroller with us (later we found signs that said no motorized wheeled vehicles and I think the woman had misunderstood that it was just a stroller- oh well!), so we had to coax Lil' Man into walking as much as we could.  Not a fun task!

Like Linus from Peanuts, Lil' Man carried his blankie the entire time. After he tripped and scrapped an elbow and his arm, Paul had to carrying him for at least 2 and a half mile along with his 55+lbs pack. Lil' Man is not so little! He currently weighs somewhere over 35 lbs. and had all his weight on Paul's neck, so Paul got him to sit on top of the pack!

 

Lil' Man enjoyed his throne (for the most part!) and was fascinated by the chipmunks!

I wasn't really as prepared as I should have been. In my mind, three miles is nothing and I really didn't think I'd have any trouble, but with my pack and being pregnant I really had to be careful. Even relatively mild inclines left me drained and puffing, so I stopped a lot to make sure I was getting enough oxygen to the baby. When we got to a difficult area, my wonderful hubby insisted on carrying both of our packs! The man is a saint! He had to carry mine across his his chest. He is hard-core. :)

It was such a relief to arrive at our cabin. It was so cute and well off the main path (unlike the two other cabins on the lake). We couldn't believe how nice it was for a rustic cabin! There was a bunk bed, beautiful wooden table with benches and a chair, a wood stove with a supply of firewood, a hatchet, bow saw, buckets, and pots for cooking. We had packed in all those things (well, not the firewood) not knowing that their would be anything in the cabin. It even came with a canoe, paddles and plenty of life jackets- even a tiny one for Lil' Man! 

After unpacking, we paddled out onto the lake to find the rest of our group. We didn't know where they would be, so we just enjoyed paddling until we found several of the girls filtering water out of the lake for dinner.

I wonder how they got the name "Mirror Lake"????  : )

After catching up with the rest of the staff from camp, we paddled back to our cabin to pick up a few things. Paul ran up to the cabin while Lil' Man and I sat in the canoe waiting. Lil' Man had been sitting near the back with Paul and I was in the front. As I looked at the lake, Lil' Man and I chatted about the colors and the water. Before I knew what was happening, I felt the boat rock and turned just in time to see Lil' Man falling into two inches of mucky water that our canoe was sunk into. His feet were still in the canoe, but everything else was wet and covered in old leaves. It was sad and hysterical all at the same time. I took him back to the cabin to change him and find Paul. Paul took this video clip.

The highlight of the entire weekend, in my opinion, was when Paul, Lil' Man and I left the staff camp after dinner to head back to our cabin. There was a new moon on Friday night. It was an inky, pitch black and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Floating in the lake with out a single thing to take away from the celestial view made it the most breathtaking sight I have seen since Paul and I were working on Sequoia Lake in California. The Milky Way was indescribable. The entire night sky looked like the photographs you see in an astronomy book. 

It felt as though we were in the nursery rhyme about Winken, Blinken and Nod because not only were the stars dazzling above us, but it felt as though we were floating through them! The lake was mirroring the heavens! Every so often a huge fish would leap out of the lake startling the stillness and causing the stars to float about in chaos. We drifted in awe on the lake for so long that Lil' Man fell asleep (he swayed this way and that before plopping backwards!).

It is moments like those that make you feel the awesomeness of the power of God. I feel sorry for those who only see a breathtaking sight and have no one to thank for it.

Yes, I am still here!

Hi everyone! Just a quick Sunday note to let everyone know that I gave up blogging and Facebook for Lent so that I could concentrate on my spiritual life, my home, my family and friends. People have been asking what's going on, so I just wanted to clarify since it was a last minute decision and I didn't post about it.

Since today is Sunday and a day of celebration, I would like to quickly share what has been going on in my life with a few quick bullet points.


1. My brother and his wife had my parents first grandchild last weekend. He was a whopping 8lbs 11oz and is happy and healthy- Praise God!


2. My husband and I just got home from a reunion in the mountains with the Brothers of the Eternal Song and their families. HEAVEN is the best way to describe the week.

3. I painted and reorganized my laundry room and that too is now a little slice of heaven!

4. I converted a spare bedroom into a lovely office and am now preparing for our first conference, The Tennessee Homeschool Conference in Memphis, next weekend and The St. Louis Homeschool Conference on the 26th and 27th! If you want to buy the most amazing Catholic childrens books as Lenten and Easter gifts for your children, grandchildren or godchildren you can request them here by leaving a comment or see me at one of these conferences :)

5. Life has been prayerful and good. I am going to see a specialist about some medical/fertility stuff, so if you can offer up a quick prayer I would really appreciate it! Also, hubby and I have been apart for a few weeks and he is going back on the road tomorrow. I will be staying home for 2 to 4 weeks without him- also not fun. Prayers that he will be safe while on the road alone are also greatly appreciated.



Hope you all are having a wonderful Lent. Grow closer to Christ each day!

Last Child in the Woods

We had a very special treat last weekend when we received a load assignment headed to the Carolinas. I have not seen one of my dear friends since she was a blushing bride of 21. Now she and her husband are the happy parents of two little girls with a new baby on the way. And we were headed to their current home town! Check out my friend's blog here: http://www.choosetotestify.blogspot.com/



After a little fancy footwork to get together, the four of us were cozily reunited in their lovely kitchen at midnight. Over homemade whole wheat apple pie, we caught up and swapped stories.

The following morning, both husbands headed off to work while we girls (both old and the toddler variety!) enjoyed a relaxing morning. We discussed everything from food allergies and teenage pranks to cloth diapers. I was excited to learn that FuzziBunz are my dear friend's diapers of choice since I've been doing a lot of research, but didn't know anyone who used them.


Eventually, we took the girls for a walk around the neighborhood and to the local park. While we searched (and found!) caterpillars and leaves our conversation turned to Richard Louv's book Last Child in the Woods. As a former camp counselor, we often used this book as a basis for the need for children to experience nature. Louv coined the phrase "nature deficit disorder". During a time when so few children do anything, but watch tv and play video games, this book shows the effect of children who have not grown up experiencing the beauty and creavtivity that can be discovered in nature. This book is a powerful reminder of a truth that is embedded in our nature.



Not only is it important for a child's physical and mental development that they grow up climbing trees and exploring nature, but it is in nature that children discover God through natural law. There are so many Church teachings on natural law, but the most natural way for a parents to educate their children is by taking them outside to discover the world He has given them to provide for their needs and to experience joy and beauty. It is sooo exciting that I could just babble on!




To sum up my thoughts on this way of learning I will share and anecdote about my Grandmother. When we were children, she would point out ever sunset, every flock of geese and every rainbow and then have us make the sign of the cross explaining that it was to remind us that God loves us so much that He made a world full of miracles for us to witness every day. Even as an adult I still think of my Grandmother's reminder each time I witness a sunset or any other simple miracle!

You can take the teacher out of the classroom, but...

Here is my random 2:30am thought to share: I am obsessed with preparing for children God has yet to give me!!!

Paul is on the road this week and I am home cleaning and still unpacking boxes! I keep finding tons of supplies from when I was teaching and I am becoming so anxious to be able to homeschool my own little ones- talk about putting the cart before the horse! Anyway, I have also found some great books and supplies recently that I had to buy. This is mainly a "teaser" to let my dear friends who actually have children know that I will be posting info soon on some great resources (Precious Life Books newest book is hot off the presses!). This obviously isn't the new book, but it is one of my favorites!

Please pray for my sanity, dear friends, and for my wonderful husband to be patient with me. I am trying very hard not to "covet my neighbor's baby", but it is NOT easy! Especially when Paul isn't home to keep me balanced.

Lord, be our strength and comfort in all things and at all times!