Tubing down Pigeon River

This is not our group!

AHHHHH! Today was a lazy day! We have had such a beautiful, relaxing day! This morning we woke up late, fixed our van...radiator was leaking....YIKES! ..... Fixed now though! Thank Goodness! Then we gathered our kids in the van and the Shorts and the Kelly's headed to River Romp Tubing. We were blessed with not having to pay for the twins, 4 and under were free but they had to sit on our laps. Which made it interesting to say the least! I had Sara on my lap and before we even got 5 feet into the river we were topsy turvy and flipped right out. That was it for Sara she did not want to do that again. But at that point there was NO turning back. We had 2.5 miles of river to take on!

I have to share that 4 months ago when we were invited to go with the Shorts on this wonderful vacation my hearts desire was to be able to go tubing down the river with the kids. Honestly 2 weeks ago, it wasn't going to happen. My knees were in NO SHAPE for what we did today! But something wonderful has happened. Not only did my orthopedic surgeon give me better anti-inflammatory meds but I also started synvisc injections into my left knee. With those meds, prayer and God reaching down and touching my knees, in the last two days I have given up the crutches, the cain and I WENT TUBING!!! HOW AWESOME IS MY GOD! He knew it was my hearts desire to experience this with my kids, I remember tubing in Cherokee, NC with my parents when I was younger and it was one of the best memories I have of our family vacations. God granted me my hearts desire today! Thank you Jesus!

SO the tubing experience was great. Jaron, Kris, Eli and Sean got to see a beaver. We floated by cows, birds bugs galore. Sara and I flipped our tube at least 4 times, once it was up to my neck. I don't even want to think about what was under my feet. It was a sludge mud and it was so smelly....But I have to say despite the flips and Sara holding on to me for dear life (it was such a lazy river 90% of the time, we had to use a stick in some places to get us moving), we had a fantastic time. Fun was had by all!

Jaron was in charge of our water proof camera so who knows what kind of pictures he got. I was able to take two pictures of him and Kris on their tubes. Once I have them developed I will be posting them, you better believe it!

How do you repay your friends for blessing you with a wonderful vacation???