Tip Toeing Through Deception

The timing of blooming tulips is never an easy one to determine. Out on the peninsula, where we live, everything seems to be behind the rest of the state of Washington. I remember when I was pregnant with Madelynne and we had to go to Seattle for a doctor’s appointment and all the cherry blossoms were in bloom over there, but none were really even beginning to blossom here. My co-workers at the time kept saying, “wait until after spring break” and sure enough, it was a full onset of blossoming flowers and trees. I have to say, as much as I have kicked, screamed, complained and cried about the move here, I am beyond blessed that God has really changed my eyes to appreciate and value the beauty of His creation all around me.

Brad and I are adventurous and love to travel the coastline and hike in the Olympics, so I am often very, very thankful for His light leading us to this path. As we were driving on Whidbey Island, I said to Brad, “You know, my soul will always be in Wyoming, but Washington has gradually won over my heart. I really love it here.” Realities are: it’s hard being apart from our families, but we've started our own and sometimes, when it’s just the 3 of us, it is perfect and that is all that matters.

People can comment on the weather being gloomy and gray and rainy, but who can say they can go camping in April or even December if they really wanted to? Yeah…not a lot of places. I wish, sometimes, Brad and I had encountered the places we had lived in previously, like Florida and Colorado, a bit more intimately than we did, but I am grateful for my spontaneous and adventurous husband who loves to be exposed to the grandeur of the natural world in which we live, and to embrace it as much as we did this weekend.

Now, it was not always positive…Maddy has a cold and so do I, so we were both kind of miserable and she was fussy. I lost my temper, and she is at the start of the terrible two’s…so believe me, life is not a cake walk. It rained in en-route and I was freaking out because I wanted it to be clear, or at least just cloudy. When we tromped around the festival, it was mud central and Maddy was a hellion at times…I have now decided I NEED to invest in galoshes. And cute ones. I kept hearing, in the back of my head, my friend, Steve’s voice, “You only packed one pair of shoes!” and was immediately irritated with myself. It was windy at our campsite and I said to myself, "I didn't sign up for a weekend in Laramie!". And somehow we always get the spots where people tend to cut through our site to the bathroom, rather than go around. So….yeah…It was a long day.

BUT, on the upside…No rain and breaks in the cloud cover. There were fields upon fields of budding flowers…it was breathtaking. And what an array of people….such an international event. It was so neat to see such great walks of life coming together for a bunch of flowers. J

And Deception Pass…Our campground rocked with a $30 view of the ocean and a built in sound machine of the waves rocking the beach shores all night. We had cold beers, the Rockies game (which they won!) on MLB at Bat playing on our phones, a small bike ride and walk on the beach...so we can’t complain. I think Deception Pass will be another adventure because we want to explore Anacortes and La Conner, but also make a trek to the San Juan Islands and try to see the orca whale pods that inhabit the area over there.

All in all, if I could leave any final thought it is this: enjoy the places you live and take in the smallest things, even if it isn't as perfect as you envisioned. It will always remain a memory and an adventure, and that is something you get to keep with you until the end of time.