Last night Madigan broke down into tears and was shaking all over. I think it may be as close as he has ever come to a panic attack. We have been anticipating rain for days and then weeks. Predictions of such have mostly failed us, mostly to our delight. Our grand canyon and pasture river have only flooded twice so far this season. Both episodes were caused by less than 1/2 inch of rain in 1 hour. So, if we, at any point, get 2 or more inches in a 45 minutes period of time, all computer generated models and all actual evidence suggests that we could lose most everything. It's a waiting game... and it has been a test of our endurance. I feel like I've been able to wrestle through much of the trauma of last year and face tomorrow with cautious optimism. But, the boys have all borne the weight differently. If we are able to get the mitigation that the county is working on building for us before next year's monsoon season, things may look quite different for us in the future. So, we wait... and PRAY A LOT every time it rains.
I think we have all changed through the process of trauma, survival, rebuilding, and moving ever forward. We know our days are numbered, we know that our future plans can be as fleeting as the wind. We know that each day is a gift. And we know that we love living life alongside one another. So, this year we decided that if our flooding didn't overwhelm us like last year, if our own mitigation efforts made a difference, we would adventure A LOT. And we have! It has been such a delight.
We drove Gumbum to Oregon to visit her dear friends. That adventure held it's challenges, but was such a blessed time to spend together. We got to explore Bandon by the Sea, visit with beloved friends, swim in pools, creekside swimming holes and even a little of the ocean. We kayaked in the Applegate river, picked blackberries and frolicked about.
Then, Kurt (my dear friend whom I've known for over 30 years) brought his boys to romp around our magical places. We took the kids to the White Mountains where Kurt, Krista and I grew up. It was incredible to return to a place I haven't seen for so long and to share it with my boys. Madigan commented: "Mom, it's so special to come here... it makes me understand you so much more fully." Yeah, it's true... the places (and people) in the various seasons of our lives shape us and mold us and do much to make us who we become in the journey of life.
Eating crawdads that they caught!
The boys were, of course, instant best friends. :-)
Kurt is exactly as I remember him... only wiser. And taller. :-)
He's a great dad and his boys are richly blessed to have him.
Then, we, unbelievably, headed back to Oregon. This time it was on the hunt for a new (old, but new to us and low mileage!) vehicle to become our new adventure mobile. We had found one in Portland, and when cousin Kaysee heard that I was headed out with Kelton to get it, she jumped on board the adventure! It was a whirlwind journey, but filled with so much wonder. Kaysee had never seen the Oregon coast, so we plodded our way down the coast, stayed at a cabin along the Rogue River, ate wild blackberries for breakfast (which I may or may not have later regretted), stopped by an Air Museum, saw Crater Lake and so much more. It was such a special trip and I will savor those memories always.
We did get our adventure mobile and named it "Huck", as in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn".
We have a journal to keep inside "Huck" to document our future journeys together. The adventures, of course, will begin in our very own magical back yard. This year has given us so much and restored so much to us. We will all move past the trauma of last year, in our own way(s). In the meantime, each day we are given to live fully is a gift WE DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED.
