The Big Move Part 6

After the 4th of July, we went back to Grandma Winnie's cabin for a few days and then moved along to Wayfarers State Park campsite. We arrived and there were only 2 sites left - not the best either. We were planning on staying for about 6 days while we figured out what to do next and started looking for somewhere to live. There was a site opening up the next morning, so we watched and as soon as they drove out we snagged it. Wayfarers is a GREAT campground. It is just outside of Bigfork on Flathead Lake (the other side from where we were). AND not only did it have flush toilets, but also a great shower and even a large sink outside of the bathroom for washing camp dishes - we were living in luxury! While we were there, we met the neatest family. The Harmons had three girls and were there visiting with Stephanie's (the wife/mom) parents. They were from Aurora, Washington and were here because Rhett (husband/dad) had a job interview. They are Christians and homeschool. You know when you are kind of down and wondering what is going to happen next in life and you wonder if God is leading you anywhere at all (see Exodus for other complaining, whining, disbelieving followers! :)) and then He puts someone in your life just as a pure blessing - for no specific reason, but just as encouragement along the way? What a sweet family. We imparted Micah's hot pink cowboy boots that she LOVED dearly to Naomi Harmon. Micah had been cramming her feet into them for a while, because she just couldn't stand the thought of parting with them. However, after meeting Naomi, she was happy to pass them along to be loved by a worthy recipient ....and Naomi did love them. While we were still at Wayfarers, Doug Nelson called and asked if we wanted to come to the ranch for the night on Friday to go hiking in Glacier with he and his family on Saturday. No one that knows the Nelsons would ever turn down that kind of offer.

We left Wayfarers a day early to head out there. The ranch is 9 miles outside of Browning, but don't let that scare you (Browning is a reservation town with a reputation). It is a beautiful area near Glacier National Park. We had visited two years earlier and fell in love with the area and the ranch. Doug's property is near perfect and probably one of my favorite places on earth. The ranch is nestled in among aspen groves with a breathtaking view of Glacier. This was our first time meeting Doug's kids that he inherited when he got married 2 years ago and my first time seeing his family again after 17 years. We arrived Friday evening. Doug's sister, Julie, her husband and two sons were already there. It was such fun seeing Paul again (the ranch manager that has been there for two years who we LOVE!) and getting to meet Julie's kids (the last time I saw Julie, she was pregnant with Garret who is now almost 17 - yikes!). The kids ran around falling in love with the ranch all over again and we set up our tent near the teepee pond. Little did we know that it would be our home for some time!!

Doug's family is GREAT. His mom and dad are wonderful people who have raised 5 amazingly talented and well-rounded kids. We didn't know, but it was Doug's mom, Helen's birthday hike that we were going on the next day. That night was a flurry of activity with all of us running around....swimming in the teepee pond, packing lunches, getting packs ready, eating, cleaning up and getting settled for bed before our early morning adventure.