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We’ve always talked about taking our kids on canoe trips.  But it’s one of those things that’s pretty fun to talk about and much more daunting to actually do!  This year we decided to do an “introductory trip.”   Keith found a spot that we could drive close to.  We thought we’d have to portage in a little ways to the lake, but it ended up that we could drive the truck within 50 yards of the lake!  We had a 30 – 45 minute paddle across the lake and then we camped at the same spot for two nights.  So, it wasn’t really a canoe trip.  The only catch ended up being that it was really windy.  It was a little scary going across the lake on the first day.  Caleb and I were paddling a canoe and for a little while I didn’t know if we were even making any progress.  There were white-caps on the lake and I was wondering what in the world we were doing out there with our family!!!  But God protected us in spite of our ignorance and we made it there.  It was beautiful, but windy the whole time we were there.  On the last day we holed up in a little clearing in the bush to get out of the wind.  Sadly, the batteries died and I couldn’t take any pictures in there.  I read aloud for what seemed like hours and we made food on a little fire and played games.  Of course, the boys chopped, whittled, and sawed anything they could get their hands on!  We ended up waiting to leave for home until pretty late in the evening.  The wind had died down some by then and lessened even more as we paddled.  We watched the sunset as we paddled and arrived at our landing in the dark.  Hannah fell asleep in her chair in the canoe.  We had a bit of a drive to get home, so it was pretty late when we got in.  I gulped and put the kids to bed filthy.  And that was that.  I’m afraid it was so successful we’ll have to do it again next year.

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