We had a wonderful time camping as a family this past week at our favourite destination: MacGregor Point Provincial Park outside Port Elgin. They have awesome biking trails throughout the park, a superb beach with a big playground next to it, beautiful big sites and a cool nature centre with fun stuff for the kids.
Monday night we got hit with the big storm. It was something to see! I was really glad that we were all set up and that we were sleeping off the ground. After setting up and eating supper we took a bike ride to the beach. While we were there the lightening rolled in and we headed back. Thankfully we made it back to the site before the rain hit. We did get caught in some pretty severe wind that was kicking up the sand from the roads, it was pretty intense. The kids did really well and kept calm though. We made it fun and talked about how we had to 'beat the rain' and biked as quickly as we could with the 2 older kids riding on their own bikes. The thunder and lightening was amazing. Lyric is terrified of thunderstorms (reminds me of some other little girl I knew). She was literally trembling in my arms in the kitchen tent as the rest of the family played a game by the light of our lantern. I held Lyric against my chest and sang her lullabies while covering her other ear. She fell asleep in my arms...it was so amazing! Her body slowly started to relax and she was sleeping peacefully despite the ground shaking thunder! It was very cool.
Biking was a challenge for Obi. He fought it like crazy for several of our bike trips, but finally enjoyed the challenge of getting up on two wheels and off of his training wheels which Joel had raised up higher off the ground. He did an amazing amount of biking this week and I was so proud of him! Izzy did really well too. I couldn't believe we got to the point where we could all ride at a decent speed as a family.
Besides the storm, another exciting part of our adventure happened on our bike trip home from the beach on Wednesday night after watching the sunset. It was about 9:30 but wasn't dark yet. As we were riding on the path by the beach suddenly 2 deer leaped across the path in front of Izzy and I (Joel, Lyric and Obi had already driven by). I must have yelled I was so excited. Izzy hadn't seen them because they were a little ways ahead of us and she had been trying to get up a small hill on the trail. One of the deer ran deep into the bush while the other one turned around and stood at the edge of the bush facing out to us. Joel and Obi noticed it and were watching it as well. I lifted Izzy up so she was standing on my handlebars to see over the long grass and she was finally able to see the one standing there before it bounded off into the bush. It was the most incredible sight! I've seen deer before when I've been driving (dozens since I moved to Huron County), but never this close when I've been out of a vehicle. We could also hear the buck that had run into the woods, he was snorting furiously while the other deer stayed out of the bush. It was really cool. An experience I will never forget.
The stars were also so spectacular there. I was just so overwhelmed by the beauty of the earth God's created during that trip. I just can't express how great camping is...I highly recommend it to everyone if you don't do it yet! We had a wonderful time spending time as a family and staying up late together and breaking all the usual rules and routines. The only part I hated about the trip was packing up and leaving. I've never been good with things ending, or with saying goodbye. Every year when we leave our beloved Bear Trail resort (where Joel and I spend our alone-weekend each year), or when we leave camping I have such a feeling of sadness. Do you know those moments when you can literally feel it in your chest? Maybe I'm silly and sentimental. I don't really care, that's the way God made me, and even though those moments are hard for me, they keep me yearning for our next getaway. I always enjoy having something to look forward to.
I hope you all are having wonderful moments of family time and relaxation this summer. It's my prayer for all of you.
Mel
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