Ridin' the Rapids!

Bright and early this morning we loaded up the cars and trucks with the river rafting equipment and headed for the river as a last hoorah for all of the people that are leaving our team!

the day started off like this for Jesse...a little sunscreen in the eye turned into a total meltdown...that was rough, but he managed to get it together and have a great day, especially once he discovered all the bugs that he needed to smash!

this little guy serenaded us all day...we think he must be a relative of the tadpole we tried to raise who came to an unfortunate end in the middle of his metamorphosis...but i don't want to talk about that...it's still a little painful!

the kids tried to catch him, but fortunately for me...we do not have a pet frog!

the rafters headed down the very full river after an hour or so...in boat #1 Carol, Rizgar and Bobby pulled in first!

Boat #2 was Elijah, Laura and Paul

and pulling up the caboose was Josh, Wendy and Bevin!

we found out one of the boats had flipped over and set its occupants to the rocks, scraping up a few knees!

Elijah took it pretty hard...fortunately the amazing Tilmans came to the rescue once again with their first aid skills! Seriously do not leave home without the Tilmans!

Rizgar and Jesse playing instead of eating!

We got our turn later on to take the rafts down the river a mile or two. So we suited up, posed for a picture and....

had to really talk annie into coming...Jesse bailed immediately...

and Annie made it on the boat the first time...she was not a happy rafter....

so due to much screaming and gnashing of teeth had to be dropped off early!

i am happy to report she still loves the water though and is happier on her own two feet.

we found a long bamboo pole and it became a fishing pole

and then a bow....thanks to the amazing Tilmans! they are so resourceful! Toby is learning some serious skills from Bobby!

Mr. Josh helped Toby build this cool boat from all the trash along the riverbank. Toby played with it the rest of the time! He brought it home as well and said it should go on top of his wardrobe!

Jesse discovered all the bugs and captured a green grasshopper named "Calvin" that got a little too loved on and met the same doom as the tadpole did a few weeks ago...boys!

Annie made use of the trash as well and had Rizgar and Laura help her craft a message in a bottle in Kurdish to send down the river...it reads, "My name is Annie and I love Jesus. So should you!"

The bottle about to start it's maiden voyage...i really wonder if someone won't pick it up and read it!

The water in the river is freezing cold. Like hurts your skin it's so cold. So the fact that I am out in the water is no small feat! but once you are in it for more than 5 minutes i discovered, you lose all sense of feeling, so it's no big deal!

one last parting shot with Laura...we will love you friend and miss you dearly! Thanks for being you!

after an all out fit with the sunscreen, killing at least 100 bugs, screaming about the raft and cold water...a guy has to sing himself to sleep while leaning forward on the back seat...song of choice..."aloha-oy" from Lilo and Stitch! He was out cold! What a great day!