Camping Memorial Day

This weekend I had the opportunity to join my friend Anna on a camping trip with some people from the church she goes to. As I said in the previous post, her husband Josh is TDY right now so we have been hanging out! After work yesterday I drove to Anna's house in Eagle River. We loaded up the car and drove north through Wasilla to these small campgrounds on a lake. It was beautiful there. I love camping! I love the peacefulness that comes with camping. I love that you can hear the wind in the trees and the fish jumping on the lake. I love the sound of the zipper on the tent closing tight late at night and opening in the wee hours of the morning signaling that it is time for breakfast. I love that you don't need a clock because you can just go to sleep with the sun and wake up with the sun. Here in Alaska right now that means you only get about 4 hours of sleep...so maybe Anna and I didn't get up with the sun and we did go to bed before the sun...but, I do love the fact that you don't need a clock. There is no need to hurry. There is no where to be. You can linger in the sleeping bag in the morning until the sun warms you enough to get out. And then you can sit by the lake and enjoy the sounds of nature for as long as you want, with no rush to be anywhere or do anything. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Since it was Memorial Day and both of our husbands are in the Air Force we spent a lot time talking, praying and thinking about all those that serve and have servd in the military as well as their families.

We were the only ones that went that camped in a tent instead of a cabin!

Even though it's summer and gets warm during the day...the nights are still rather cold!

Tyler loved camping. Going camping always reminds me of Tyler. Not that I don't already always think about him. But sometimes there are certain things that I do, see, or hear that makes the grief hit me like a ton of bricks. Camping actually reminds me of my whole family and my childhood. We used to go camping every summer in Colorado for about 10 days. We would spend 10 days doing nothing and being in no hurry to get anywhere. We would stay up by the fire at night telling stories and reading Patrick McMannis stories. We would wake up in the morning to the sounds of the campfire crackling and breakfast being made. I would put on my warm clothes and crawl out of bed, grab my shoes from the garbage bag outside of the tent and scramble across the campground to sit by the warm fire. We would always have eggs, bacon and potatoes, biscuits with butter and honey, and hot chocolate. Then during the day we would go fishing, play cards or 42, go rafting, go squirrel fishing, watch the hummingbirds, and play down by the Rio Grande and look for river rocks. Camping is one of the most serene and wonderful memories of my childhood. I loved spending that time as a family, with no pressures to do anything but be together. I guess in many ways I miss my childhood. I could not have asked for a better one. I was so blessed by God with amazing parents and brothers and sisters. I am so content and happy in this great stage of life right now. I love being married and it is so fun to get to live with my best friend and share this life with someone. But I think there will always be a part of me that misses the carefree attitude and innocence of childhood.

Landon, Terah, Gini, Zachary and Tyler

Ben, Heather, Shelley, Mama, Me, Gini, Cori, Pap, Landon and Tyler
Landon and Tyler
Tyler loving playing in the dirt
Tyler and Gini...I guess they didn't like the way their turtle neck shirts felt...?? :)

Gini and Tyler all grown up...and being a little more mature about wearing their shirts.

Tyler and Mama on Ty's first camping trip

Matthew leaving/Hiking

So, Matthew left on Saturday. He will be deployed to Guam until October 6. I already miss him alot. Since I have lived in a house with a lot of people all my life, it is very interesting to now be in a house all alone, very far from the rest of my family! But, people from church have been very kind and supportive so far. As well as, I have been able to hang out with a frind of mine, Anna, whose husband is also gone, and will be for the next 6 weeks. And, I have been working some extra shifts at the hospital too keep me busy.

Just before Matthew left we went hiking with some friends of ours. We hiked a trail south of Anchorage called Falls Creek Trail. The trail itself was pretty muddy and there was still snow at times. We actually were unable to even make it to the peak because there was an avalanche in the way. It was great to get to go out and enjoy this spring/summer weather before he left!

Matthew and me on the hike back down.
The view from about halfway up.

Gorgeous view

We had a "date day" the day before he left. He was supposed to have to work that day...but thankfully ended up being off. So, we got to spend that whole day hanging out. We went shopping, sat at Starbuck's and drank coffee, went to eat at Red Robin (one of our favorites), and went to see a movie.

The day after Matthew left I went hiking with my friend Anna. We hiked a trail that is just behind her and Josh's house in Eagle River. The trail was called Mt. Baldy.