Rivers Are Roads {On the Water}

We spent eight hours on the water with friends yesterday. They are so kind to invite us out on their boat. Lovely company. Lovely scenery.

[Oregon is spectacular, no?]

The day was oddly gray and hazy. It might have something to do with the wildfires south of us. The setting sun at the end of the day was a strange red ball on the horizon. The temperature was perfect, though!

We started out on the lake, and the kids took turns on the tube behind the boat [more about this in a minute]. Then we went (leisurely) up river as far as the boat could go. It was quiet and solitary—particularly since most of the kids were still on the tube behind the boat.

The sun came out as we left the boat to swim and explore. I so wish I could have had my camera when we came to a beautiful waterfall and rode tubes on the rapids. It was a good lesson (for me) in just being present in the moment and knowing that the beauty and adventure happened even if I didn’t get a picture of it.

The kids spent hours swimming. Luke in particular was a crazy man the whole day. I do not know how his body did not give out on him at some point between the tube acrobatics and swimming into the swift current at the rapids/falls.

And then this girl. She slays me.

She was an amazing sport. Fearless. Thrilled to be on an adventure. And game for anything.

After hours of river play, we headed back out to the lake and enjoyed more tubing. These children are not content with passive recreation. Must be creative and daring…

Lola jumped at the chance to ride the tube early in the day. I wondered how she would like it. It took about 2 seconds for her grin to spread. And another two seconds for her to be shouting, “faster!”

As the kids starting doing tricks around her, I said, “Give her a year and she’ll be doing tricks with the rest of them.” [short pause] “No, probably only an hour.”

Two minutes later…

She’s THREE, people.

Gray hair. Lamaze breathing.

But just in case that’s just too much awesomeness for y’all…

It took about 15 shots and great patience to get the sweet picture of her above, because every time I tried to take her picture she would face plant into the seat below and giggle uproariously.

She took a spill on the rapids (and off the tube) and didn’t think it was so funny. [She did go again after a bit when Brant promised he’d catch a fish for her and went down with her. Then she happily went a few more times.]

Luke was sitting still in the above picture because he was in trouble for practically letting his brother drown and then having a bad attitude about it.

Thanks to Emily for jumping in to save Lola the first time and Brant for jumping in to save Leif the second time.