Memories...of 1999

 Swan couple and 3 babies

Yesterday we packed a picnic lunch and headed north to Brower Park.

I didn't realize till we got there how emotional I would be.

We started camping around 1997 when the last 2 kids were quite young and the older ones were already out of the house.

We got more serious about it in the early spring of 1999 when we bought a new pop up camper with a shower and toilet!

We camped a couple of times in early April that year and then before we knew it, Memorial Day weekend was coming up.

We went up there a few days early to set up the camper so we would beat the holiday rush.

The plans were to come back that Thursday evening and stay for the entire holiday.

Then my mom passed away.

It was certainly not sudden, as she had been in the hospital since Christmas eve.

But we had been living with hope, and though things had gone downhill in the recent past, we were still all quite shocked when the doctor called and said it would not be long.

The funeral was the Saturday of the holiday weekend.

On Monday we drove up to the campsite and took everything down.

 Rest

Soon after we were back up there with the kids.

And almost every weekend after that.

It was a time of healing and restoration for me.

I had been taking care of mom for a couple of years...

Not on a daily basis, but I was there several times a week.

She had had a severe stroke the year before and had a most difficult time of recovery.

I had to help her with her meds, therapy, etc.

Always needed. Always wanted.

And now she was gone.

My best friend....

I pretty much fell apart almost immediately...

Physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

I felt lost.

And being up at the campsite was exactly what I needed that summer.

Muskegon River...it's been a long time

I would get my lawn chair and my bag of library books and sit by the river for hours.

Outside of my bible....

Gene Stratton Porter was my author of choice that year.

Her writings took me far, far away.

Girl of the Limberlost

The Harvester

And now it has come full circle...

Sitting there yesterday in my lawn chair, reading a library book...

I felt the healing begin again...

In Christ alone,

Cindy