The one that didn’t get away <3

I cannot take credit for the idea that sparked our trip to Wisconsin last week.

When I read Bob Goff’s book “Love Does”, one of my biggest take aways was that he took each of his kids on a trip when they turned a certain milestone age.

Being Bob Goff, he took them to places all around the globe as I remember, but we are not Bob Goff and this was an idea we missed for our own kiddos so would have to apply to the next generation.

I mentioned it to Rachel and Zach what seems like years ago, yet those years have flown by at lightening speed and suddenly this year the one who made us grandparents decided to turn double digits.

The boy absolutely loves to fish.

So Russ found a place in Wisconsin where we could take him for a few days.

He hired a guide named Cody..

who grew up on the lakes there and fell in love with fishing much like our boy.

They made quite a team.

Graham was eager to learn and Cody was eager to teach and we just sat back and watched the magic.

and managed to catch a few fish when Graham let us hold a reel.

I can’t hardly think or talk about the whole trip without a huge lump in my throat and sloppy tears just pouring.

I talked to an Enneagram 4 friend of mine at church on Sunday and was so thankful she understood the overwhelming emotions that about capsized my heart during our time with our little guy.

I was having my own strong feelings plus absorbing all the emotions and tenderness of what this trip meant to Gdawg and Russ and even to Cody as he enjoys watching a younger version of himself fish for walleye and hope beyond hope for a muskie to jump out of the water right beside our boat. Then there were his parents and siblings who were missing him and perhaps wishing they were there and us wishing they were too at times…and oh my goodness….it was a lot.

Then there was ….

Stuff like this…

and this….

and this….

and it brings me to my knees.

I carry images in my heart of our time together and I am so very deeply grateful Russ pulled it together for us and mom and dad were willing to let their boy go so far away for a few days with us.

Humbled.

That’s what I am.

Humbled and grateful and a mess of goo even this many days later.

We brought home some walleye and while this place….

may have been the area’s best fish fry up there…

we thought ours was…

the best.fish.fry.ever.

We loved every second with Graham and will treasure the time we had to take him on a special trip, but I do believe the greatest gift was seeing him being welcomed home…

first by dad who had to be at work…

and then the welcoming party at home ….

Suffice to say it’s a circle of love and we are grateful to be a part of it all.

Thanking God for all of His creation and His love for us that is poured out in so many ways <3