Eleven years ago on the 26th, I was sealed in the Albuquerque New Mexico Temple for time and all eternity to an amazing man. He is kind, hard-working, patient with my faults, has an amazing smile, beautiful blue eyes, and is a great father to our little rascals. I'll be the first to admit that our marriage isn't always sunshine and roses, but the clouds don't stay long when they do come and we are learning how to improve our communication with one another, how to love in a way that is recognized by the other, and always keeping an eye on the future as a couple. He is a good match for me in so many ways and I'm thankful that my life turned in such a way as to end up as his wife.
We are good at doing something special for our anniversary (though we can't always remember the date of our wedding day...some years we think it's the 26th and not the 24th), and this year my Mom and Mark were in town. Mom suggested that we take a weekend to ourselves and I didn't hesitate before creating plans. What started as a weekend at a hotel in McCall turned into a weekend with our tent trailer and newly acquired canoe (thanks, Dad!) at Deadwood Reservoir. I had to work Friday afternoon and we didn't leave Boise until close to 7:30 pm. Dinner was Carl's Jr. in the truck...since we didn't have a place to safely set the ketchup, Darwin's food dish did the trick. He hadn't eaten yet so I fed him French fries through the grate of the crate.
Chadwick made a list of items we needed to bring, including food ideas. "Junk food" was specifically listed. We pigged out - Starburst minis, jerky, Oreos, hot chocolate, pumpkin bread, Doritos, and graham crackers. I need to go on a serious diet this week....
Plan A was the hotel in McCall.
Plan B was trailer in Deadwood. When we saw this sign, we created Plan C.
Plan C was Bull Trout Lake. Also closed.
Plan D was some campground further north out of Lowman. We never found the campground and at 11 pm, pulled down a narrow, bumpy dirt road near a chain of lakes. The road ended in a small cul-de-sac that was too tiny to allow us to turn around. Chadwick backed up the road, in the dark, with me verbally guiding. There was a fork in the road not too far, so we turned around and backed down the same little road (completely in the dark with me hollering "right, left, you're good") and set up camp. At midnight, we toasted our success with Oreos and milk and went to sleep.
Darwin woke us around 7:00, anxious to explore. It was a lovely view from the camper window! Three other cars eventually came into the parking spot we had selected as it was the only place on this particular lake in which to insert a canoe. We were feeling kind of silly for camping there, but the feeling passed and we stayed put. The campground we looked for originally was several miles up a different road - one where we should have veered left instead of going right. Since the kids weren't along, a spot next to the lake was perfect.
You know it's love when your husband digs a hole and creates a little outhouse for you first thing in the morning.
After breakfast, we explored the lake from the canoe. Darwin joined and did surprisingly well - I was worried he would get excited and dump us in the leech-infested water. When we had explored and determined that the fishing wasn't any good, we packed a lunch and went for a hike. Found a river where I lounged in our hammock and Chadwick tested his rusty fly-fishing skills. He was skunked and we went back to camp to read and nap in the peaceful bliss of wilderness solitude and lack of children.
One of the couples who came to canoe that morning were from Ketchum. He was a certified Big Foot detective and spent hours filming the area, searching for evidence of the elusive creature. His videos are all over YouTube (which he claims is full of crap when it comes to videos of Big Foot), and he talked for many minutes on the hills, the desire to have a good trail dog, and his searches. A total nut.
Dinner was Dutch oven style and then we were back in the canoe for some evening fishing. We had the lake to ourselves and Chadwick managed to catch two small, nice-looking Brook trout. The mosquitoes drove us indoors and we spent the night playing games, drinking hot chocolate and munching on Oreos and graham crackers. The s'mores over a campfire can wait. We didn't want to get eaten alive, and neither did the dog.
Before dinner, I was rummaging through our stuff trying to find a list of questions I found on a friend's blog - "101 Questions to ask your family" as I wanted to have a different kind of discussion over this meal. After a few minutes, Chadwick asked quietly and firmly for me to sit down at the table. Caught off guard by his serious tone, I obeyed. Smiling sheepishly, he slid a small container across the table, and in the romantic setting of our camper in the wilderness, asked if I would continue to be his wife. In the container was my engagement ring, complete with a sparkling, beautiful, new diamond (I cracked mine several months ago and figured it would be years before I got another one). He has a knack for serious surprises and I felt totally overwhelmed. I haven't stopped looking at it since. =)
Sunday was sleeping in, leftovers for breakfast, and a mini church lesson/discussion. We packed up camp and headed home to see how my parents fared for two nights. All was well (minus the fact that Spencer woke up at 5:15 both mornings and wouldn't go back to sleep without being held) and I think they may be willing to do it again.....
Here's to more years of love, trials, making and fixing mistakes, laughter, and creating memories.
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