Just Around the River Bend

(If you are a email subscriber, you might want to go ahead and click the title of this post to get to the actual blog. I loaded a bunch of videos... just in case you'd like to enjoy the day with us in full!) 

Saturday morning, we woke up, got our packs together, and headed out for a bar none GLORIOUS day. The weather was perfection. Hannah, John, Lu Lu, and I all jumped into the back of Mr. Roy's truck as he peeled out of the drive way! The inlet to the creek is a few miles down an old dirt road and I kid you not, Mr. Roy was driving 60 MPH down this old bumpy road! We were all holding on for dear life! Not to mention that we're having this enormous spider issue in the south... but you can't see a spider web until you are right up on it... so someone would scream 'WEB!!!' and we would all hit the deck as fast as we could! We looked like the biggest bunch of morons you've ever seen but we were rolling laughing about the whole thing. Speed racing down a dirt road and dodging rouge spider webs. What a scene. 

Some lucky little monkey was short enough to be safely under the cover of the cab, so she was immune from the blanket of sticky spider webs. London was over the moon excited about our day. This is the song in her heart on the way to the creek. So. Much. Great. 

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London and her main squeeze enjoying one of their favorite past times.... chewin' sunflower seeds! 

 I'm not sure if London knows that Hannah and John aren't family. I mean, they might as well be, but I've never seen London more naturally comfortable around anyone. I think this speaks volumes for how perfectly amazing these two people are. They are simply a place where your heart feels safe. 

She kept calling to Mr. John and saying 'Hey, Best Buddy!!" :)

"Just Around the River Bend...." from Pocahontas. And John with his ridiculously cute smile! :)

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I'm not sure what London thinks about all the places we go and see.  I hope one day all of our adventures will leave her with a deep appreciation for this beautiful life God has given us. Nothing makes me happier than watching the light in her eyes when she sees something amazing for the first time! Being her momma is the most fabulous experience. 

"Uhh, Mrs. Bananas?? I think we're lost."

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This. Is. The. Life. 

(I can't even type over this one. Simply no words.)

 Mr. John doing 'Stage 10 canoeing'. Standing on one leg with his paddle above his head. He's so silly!

Sand Bar Angels :)

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 Most of you know how fiercely I love Hannah.  My gratitude for her friendship is endless. It has been an honor to walk through life with her. Hannah has bravely traveled a difficult road of pain and beauty this year as God called her 3 precious little girls home to Him. This creek is a very significant place for Hannah, John, and the remembrance of their three baby girls. Hannah wanted me to stop and see a bend in the creek that is particularly important to them. Just as Hannah pulled in her boat, she stopped, took a picture... then showed it to me... 3 baby monarch butterflies, sitting still on the rocks, peacefully fluttering their wings. 

Let us never forget how tenderly, lovingly, and intentionally He places His gifts before us. 3 happy souls are with him today, and because of his precious reminder to us, we can find peace in the waiting for reunion. 

God is Good. All the time.