The 16th Anniversary Celebration Did Take Place!

The Happy Couple Another Happy Couple We Know

I joined FaceBook last week and kind of got distracted from my blogging... you can check me out there if you'd like....

Nonetheless, I am wanting to tell you about the big 16th Wedding Anniversary celebration that almost wasn't! I have been traveling a great deal this past six weeks for work and dodging storms seems to be the order of business. It was true again last week when I went to our BLN up in Sheridan with hopes of coming home Thursday and Dan and I leaving on Friday for a big anniversary getaway.... we kept hearing that the storm would be bad around Casper so Thursday afternoon I was anxious to get on my way before it hit. You see- it is hard to get these ranchers off the place and Dan had finally agreed to go (even though he always has a marvelous time) for two nights! Besides he needed a break after 5 months of feeding seven days a week and we had an anniversary to celebrate!

I made it home... just barely. Got all the way to Wheatland and then the snow was coming down like crazy creating deep slush on the interstate making everything very hazardous! But I made it with sinking thoughts that our plan was going to fail. The next day, when we were supposed to go, it snowed all day and Dan bravely fought the elements to feed all of his cattle. He is nearing the end of feeding season so he wasn't planning on feeding last weekend so we had thought we could go on Friday and come back on Sunday. Instead things sort of cleared on Saturday at our place but they had gotten 30 inches in Estes Park and the snow was still coming. So we weren't sure on their end. The BlackDog Inn keeper kept in close contact with me and after Dan felt his cattle were ok we made our break and headed up the Big Thompson Canyon.

Pictured here is our Bed and Breakfast: The Black Dog Inn

Having Steaks (of course) Prepared by our Friends

Wonderful friends Dee Ann and WayneWayne and Dee Ann (Jami's parents) met us for comfort food at Cracklebarrel outside of Loveland, CO and we headed up to our cabin where Dee Ann and Wayne promptly prepared a great steak dinner where we talked and laughed like kids!!! The next day we had a great breakfast.... aren't B and B breakfasts outstanding?!?! We especially liked it that is was called the Black Dog Inn.... after Sully, of course!
The big activity for the day was a snowshoe hike to Gem Lake in the Rocky Mt. National Park. It was 1.7 miles up to the Lake. What we didn't know was that it was a pretty steep ascent in snowshoes where the snow was rapidly melting and causing lots of slush....

Some Earnest Shoerers....is that a word?!?!

Girls Share Everything Right?!!? Including Mittens.... It was Sunday... listening to Dan's Easter sermon.... what a sanctuary!

Farmers and Ranchers Unite! Some Wondrous Scenery! It got really warm so we started ditching clothes along the way.... Wayne's "shoe" broke so he ditched his at the side of the trail.... finally in desperation Dee Ann and I took ours off because the snow got so heavy that we could barely lift them... Dan walked bravely on for about 30 feet and one of his simply feel off when he didn't even know it... how could he not know Dee Ann and I want to know?!?!? But he didn't look back because that would have meant walking back when he was so tired and losing ground... smile... so he forged ahead and on the way back found his shoe far away from where he left it. Go figure! It really got quite hilarious with our stuff scattered all over the trail but the way some others were dressed made us look pretty good.... even if Dan did have on his carharts.... We did eventually get everything back after several big hunts....

Dan Takes a Breather....

Wayne's Snowshoe Left by the Wayside

We met some wonderful young people at the Lake from Iowa and they only had on tennis shoes... they were sitting barefoot on a rock trying to dry out.... I can't imagine how cold their feet on after they got to the car... it was total soup on the way down.

Like Turtles on a Rock We had quite a sense of accomplishment getting there and even more so on the way down when Dan pointed out that we really hiked uphill almost the whole trip. But before we left the lake we laid on a rock and had some good laughs.... I think we were giddy by then and Wayne couldn't stop taking pictures.

Where Dan delivered the "do these water bottles make my butt look big" line....

Here are Pictures from the Top At Gem Lake
The time with Dee and Wayne the Flame was such fun! In a small community like ours and after taking up empty nesting, friends are a bit scarce so this was a real treat for us to spend time with friends away from all the busyness of life. We didn't even shop but, kids, we did eat at Ed's after the hike! It was grand celebration of our 16th and we came home really tired but with our hearts full and our spirits lighter. You might be interested to know that we are reinventing ourselves in some new ways these days! We are grateful to God for this unique time of celebration and for 16 amazing years together!

Truly it Was a Day Filled with Precious Memories!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (New American Standard Bible)
9Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
10For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
11Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.