Originally written on Monday July 18,2011

We are still in Minnesota even though we were supposed to be trekking through the Canadian soil by now. I guess we just can’t get enough of it here. Yesterday we met up with our pastor who was also in the area for the same wedding as us. We hit a couple state parks saw some lighthouses and ate at a famous pie restaurant. The odd thing about the nature parks was that the government still has them all closed. You can’t drive in, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from exploring all the natural beauty that the state has to offer. Instead people are just parking outside of the park and walking in on foot. That was fine for a little day time rendevous, but we still couldn’t use the parks in the area to camp so we just slept in the car last night.
Today we went to some more parks. We hiked all over the place and even took a dip in the icy cold Lake Superior. This whole trip has been an adventure, we have a plan, but we’ve also veered from it a time or two. While we were on the shore line skipping rocks J said “I wonder if this was the destination” This is one of those trips where it is truly about the journey itself, but sometimes you have to stop and take in the moment without thinking about where you are headed next. When he said that all I could do was smile and nod. We are currently staying in a town called Grand Marion. There are some really neat shops and restaurants and beautiful seaside scenery. In the evening we left our hotel to be a part of the live outdoor entertainment. As we approached we could see that people were raising their hands in worship. Then we heard that they were singing songs from the Bethel worship album (which couldn’t be anymore up our alley). It was an unexpected, but welcome opportunity for us to worship with the body of Christ on the north shore. Inbetween songs one of leaders announced very somberly that they had just experienced a horrible tragedy within their group. He said “for those of you that are not a part of ministry, you wouldn’t know that we lost someone in our group this morning. 1 year old baby Reagan was playing at our camp sight and was hit by a truck. He was rushed to the ER and died an hour later.” I cried when I heard it and I am crying again now as I write it. I can’t imagine what the parents are going through. I debated sharing this story on the blog, but I feel like I was there to be a part of this mourning and crying out to God and that maybe you all would like to remember baby Reagan’s family in your prayers as well. As far as my little babies they are still with their grandparents getting spoiled and having a great time in Kentucky. I miss them terribly, but J and I are grateful for this opportunity for just the two of us to reconnect. We are blessed far beyond what we deserve.