Monthly Archives: May 2012

Camping Anyone?

Posted by Mama Bear on May 13, 2012 None comments

I’m excited… slightly hesitant, but mostly excitedly anticipating the upcoming weeks. We have decided to do some much needed traveling, exploring and hopefully squeeze in a little R&R. The R&R, with our version of adventure and throwing a 10 month and almost 3 year old into the mix remains to be seen but ultimately we are looking to have some wonderful family bonding and memory making times with each other and the littles. We have become the, possibly temporary, proud owners of a Coleman popup camper and Chevy conversion van. Ok, so I’m the proud owner of the popup. I was more than a little concerned about the complications of driving and camping all over timbucktu with my two little wild men and highly suggested we try it with a camper first. My husband on the other hand the proud owner of the conversion van. Why the van? Not because he loves vans mind you. Only, and I quote, because he “refused to be whipped by driving a soccer mom van”. Apparently my slight embarrassment about the ginormous van and the fact that I laughingly emphasized that I plan to ONLY drive the beast for unavoidable work related tasks, somehow made him feel he had stayed a little higher on the manliness charters. I must say, I have unexpectedly begun to fall in love with “the beast”. Compared to driving in the Jetta it feels like a bus as far as room goes, of course it probably guzzles gas like a bus too, but I’m able to help the boys without feeling I have to do yoga poses to get into the back and the seats are super comfy.

I hope to keep up the blog and post about our travels on the road. If anyone has any tips on best camping spots, Yellowstone, Tetons, Glacier National Park or camping with small children in general we’d love to hear them!

Do Over?!?

Posted by Mama Bear on May 12, 2012 1 comments

Wow, what a year it’s been… and we’re not even halfway there yet! This learning and growing and training thing is hard. Just when you think you’re getting the hang of it, the bike pedal whirring around so fast your feet can’t keep up, you are suddenly jerked out of your day dream. Like someone jabbing a stick in the spokes of your bicycle wheel and you’ve been hurled over the top of it and end up in a crumpled heap on the pavement. For a moment you’re silent as you try to catch your breath. Once the initial shock is over however you’re not sure if you should scream, beat someone up or run home crying to mama… or all of the above. Atleast in my meager, insecure human brain it feels that way. Then I stop and ponder, and wonder, what was all this for? Am I supposed to be learning something from this? Would God be able to use pain like this to grow something beautiful? Maybe I was riding too fast or getting ready to cross in front of something dangerous or maybe just maybe I had somehow ended up on the wrong trail altogether. I certainly wish I knew the answer but I don’t. Maybe I will know when I’m further down the road or maybe I will never know in this life, but I do know one thing. I’m reminded not to be too sure of what I may encounter ahead. To listen only to the voice of my Father. To appreciate and seize the journey and opportunities He’s given me now instead of putting it off for “some day” To listen, to soften, to endure, to …forgive… yes that may be the hardest…. and yet I’ve been forgiven for my own failures many times over. It’s a process. It takes resting & recooping … it’s seeking shelter in my Fathers arms, and listening for His gentle guiding and before long, I’m pedaling again!