Warm tiny limbs wrapping around my neck and back were my wake up call this morning. There isn’t a better way to wake up. After a little snuggle Cody swung into full energy mode singing a song he created, “Mama Long Legs.” After some snuggle I slipped out of the tent to splash some water on my face to try to feel a little human. Some people need coffee to get their morning started. I really just need some water to splash on my face. Brushing my teeth and hair and a little exercise are a fantastic bonus too.
Yesterday I woke up before Cody wanting to get up to run, but I justified drifting back to sleep due to my limited amount of sleep and the excess rain coming down. Today I had plenty of sleep and the rain seemed to be holding off. Since the kids were up I waited until Scott came to a semi-conscious state and went out for a half hour run. When I returned from my run the kids were nearing the end of their peaceful Lego playing in the tent. They then headed out to enjoy the leftover fire Scott had started the night before. Brooke reflected, “Poor fire.” “Poor fire?” I asked. “Yes, it is dying,” Brooke said. Scott laughed, “That’s my girl!” Eighteen years ago when Scott and I were in the Grand Tetons I insisted Scott put his fire out before bed. After all, it was the Girl Scout way. Scott had responded, “It is alive! It eats and breathes just like you and me!” It was one of many moments that I realized just how unique Scott is. 
Speaking of unique… The watermelon from home was just begging to be eaten. Scott’s new mini-machete, really meant for wood cutting or in his world “fun”, was also begging to be used. And so the kids wildly cheered for some fruit ninja action. After some ninja noise and flying watermelon, we cleaned up, shared some watermelon with a fellow kayaking camp neighbor, and left camp just as the rain began to fall again.
At 10 we headed north for Ft. Custer to avoid the storm headed straight into and south of us. We filled up the gas tank and discovered we are getting about 17 miles per gallon. At 10:30 we entered a new state for the kids, Michigan. Scott worked on getting clean-shaven while he drove.
Gratitude is a funny thing. Sometimes you think you are being grateful and then fate has a way of showing you how much further you could go. The mosquitoes were BAD at our first campground at the Dunes. Cody’s bites had bites and the little guy doesn’t have much real estate for bites to begin with. Even better his swell up just like mine. We were thankful to be leaving such a mosquito haven and then…Well then we learned what a mosquito haven is really like. The kids and I were doing our best not to say anything, but even Scott shared how much worse they became. Between the deluge of mosquitos, trying to eat our lunch of apple chicken sausages and hot dogs proved interesting. The kids had been excitedly helping to take down the tent this morning, relishing in playing with the fire, and cheering on our very own fruit ninja, but at this moment Cody quietly said, “I can’t wait till our trip is over.” Brooke asked, “Why is it so cold? It is summer.”
Scott and I reflected on our next plan of action and he suggested we just hang out in the tent. My eyes had visions of two adorable children exploding and two loving adults imploding. At my encouragement to get out Scott took us to the beach. And… no mosquitoes! It is amazing how much a few degrees of latitude, or maybe it was longitude, I don’t know, but the point is, a few degrees changed all the attitude.
While the kids were digging away Brooke asked, “Mom, you know what lasts forever?” I reflected and answered, “Nothing lasts forever.” She paused, smiled, and said, “God’s love lasts forever.” I asked her what made her think of that and she said VBS. I said, “Aww.” She responded, “That’s not an aww moment mom. I said it to show you how much smarter than you I am.” And the aww moment went out the window…
Scott was beat. He hadn’t slept well. He wanted to bike, but he lingered at the side of the van as he stared at the puzzle he would have to untangle before he could get his bike down to ride. He grabbed a few Advil and forced himself to go. An hour and a half later he came back with a smile sharing that he had kicked his headache somewhere during the ride.
While Scott was biking the kids and I hung out at Eagle Lake Beach at Ft. Custer. The water was nice and warm, especially compared to Lake Michigan. The air however was still hovering in the low sixties and the sunshine was snuggled in the clouds like blankets we wish we had.
After the kids had literally tuned blue and we changed into our sweats I suggested we go bike riding too. Thankfully I was able to get their bikes down without too much trouble. I was envisioning another run while they biked. Just then, Scott popped back off the trail and took Brooke on her first mountain bike ride. She rode part of the green trail with Scott. He was teaching her to shift. I asked Brooke about it, but she was too shy to share. Cody and I worked on some Legos while they were out.
Next we headed to a pavilion overlooking the lake because the rain was coming in again. Cody and Brooke worked on Legos for at least an hour. Cody made a lever out of Legos. Excited that they had remembered something I had taught them from Camp Invention I asked where the fulcrum, load, and force were. They knew! Success! Brooke even remembered the difference between different class levers. She indignantly asked, “You think I wouldn’t remember?” One Lego disappeared after launching. We didn’t hear it land and thus couldn’t locate it. I finally peeked in the green peppers Scott was cutting. Roasted Legos and peppers anyone?
The kids happily launched Legos almost all the way until Scott had finished dinner and then…Lego meltdown! They had to fight over whose Lego guys were whose. This is after Brooke bribed Cody to practice her dance again with bringing out her Lego guys to share. My favorite line during their dance practice was, “You have to do it with a happy attitude Cody!” I feel for younger brothers everywhere. Although I am pretty sure I never made my little brother dance. Maybe there was that one school talent show…
Scott cooked a delicious dinner of black beans, green peppers, and rice. We headed over to canoe in Eagle Lake but again Scott lingered at the side of the van and looked up. I looked at him wondering what was wrong. “It is just so much work,” he replied. Scott doesn’t often complain, and he looked beat. I responded, “You know we don’t have to go. We could also have vacations where we just hang out on the beach or even sleep at a hotel and let other people feed us and clean up the dishes.” He responded, “I know, but I like this. I am just tired.” So we headed to something even better than canoeing in the rain.
Drum roll please…Only two days in we had our first…SHOWERS! Scott and Cody were done in the time it took Brooke to shower and the whole gang got to wait while I thoroughly enjoyed the skin shredding spray sting every inch of my mosquito tasted skin. Nope – I’m not ever over-dramatic – especially when it comes to showers.
After much encouragement from Brooke and I, Scott read some more My Side of the Mountain. Cody was incredibly congested but still drifted off to sleep in under five minutes. Scott was out not long after.
