Don't Ever Forget This

So before I start this post, you're going to have to scroll down to my music at the bottom of the page, and listen to my JACK JOHNSON songs...and only those songs while you're reading this. It will really accentuate this post, I promise...

So anyways, remember my post about my broken leg a few posts down? Well this is kind of the pre-cursor to that oh, so tragic event. The summer between my junior and senior year in high school, a group of friends and I got together nearly EVERYDAY ( I kid you not ) to play ultimate frisbee...rain or shine, heat, or more heat.....I felt like a kid again.

A few of us that played in that group took a weekend down to Alley Springs, Missouri (aka...HICKVILLE!!) for a camping/canoe trip.

I didn't know it then, but it ended up being one of the sweetest memories of life itself.

Here's the group (with our chaperone Karen......thank you Karen, hah!) and our sweet tats we got from the pizza place we ate at on the way.

Beautiful summer morning....although it was 100 degrees at 9am and your body was wet from sweating all night, it was still beautiful. At least in this picture.

For some reason I just love this picture. Serenity at it's finest.

We found some friends....

As we got closer to our destination, we started to drive on this windy, country road that was surrounded by these XL green and lush Missouri trees. It was hot as crap, in the middle of nowhere, so we rolled down the windows, and turned on some JACK JOHNSON (that's why I told you to play the Jack Johnson music!!! get it now?!) I remember sticking my hands out the window, and letting them ride the wind. Whenever I listen to Mr. Jacky now it takes me back to that specific moment. It was so serene, so CRISP, so REAL. I felt like I was supposed to be in a movie.

We were so excited to canoe in a million degree weather all day. So excited. Thankfully we took lots of breaks in the crisp, cool spring water to play frisbee and cool off.

This wasn't one of those breaks. Someone thought it would be a good idea to give Carrie and I the dry-packed food. Well needless to say, we capsized....and the food went bye-bye. Kinda scary then because we were holding onto that tree for dear life, but really because we thought we would drown from laughing so hard.

No, that's not blood.

But I hope you thought it was because it's supposed to look like it :)

We were diving off cliffs/rocks into the water, and I slipped on the rock and sliced my knee open (STILL HAVE THE SCAR TODAY BTW...COOL!)...anyways it was bleeding like crazy and we had some crystal light packets...so combine the too, and it looks like I was snackin on my knee. We're gross.

My friends Kevin and Carrie made a DVD of the whole event, and I cry I'm laughing so hard whenever I watch it.

I hope my kids watch it and think I'm crazy.

I hope I always remember this time.

Whenever I look at these pictures, it takes me back and gives me a little glimmer of hope...it helps me see that there is still good to be found in the world.

Happy day.