Float Trip 09, Bitter Sweet

Sweet First~

Friday Evan and I headed out to Ellensburg to do the annual River Float down the Yakima River. It is a float trip I have done for years with my friends from McCabes. This was Evan's first year going with me. Friday was WONDERFUL. We arrived around 5:30pm, set up our tent then went to the river to cool off since it was a suffocating 102 degrees out. We chatted a bit with a few of the 50 people that were there from McCabes. Evan and I then went back to our tent, he cooked up hot dogs and my Salmon and veggies foil dinner. Both were so YUMMY. We ate perfectly cooked smores. And sat and read our books while listening to the music that was playing from a near by truck. It's nice that since we are all from McCabes we all love country music! So it's a pleasure to be surrounded by trucks blasting country tunes. I pity the people in surrounding camps that don't appreciate country music...boy did they pick the wrong weekend to camp! =) During one of the slow songs Evan was so sweet, he asked me to dance! He knows how to get to my heart and win me over time and again! =) So there we were standing in the middle of the camp slow dancing, it was so romantic! I love random dancing!!

As the night progressed we read until it got too dark to read, we talked a little more to people that kept arriving. Then we laid in our tent with our heads sticking out and looked at the stars for over an hour. I fell asleep looking at the stars being serenaded by Evan singing to the music playing in the background. It was a really perfect day...Little did I know what was to follow the next day...

Now for the Bitter~...VERY Bitter

Ever since the first float I went on, the Annual River Float Trip has been the highlight of my summers. Evan and I were both very excited for this weekend. However, on Saturday morning I just didn't feel right. I didn't want to go. It just kept getting worse. I was totally out of character for these float trips. We drove up the 25 minutes to the place where we all push off and start our float. I'll admit I was feeling like I was being pretty naggy and annoying to Evan. Once again I don't know why or where it came from. I was trying to change my attitude so when Evan told me he was going to put his keys in the Ziploc bag we were taking I didn't want to be naggy anymore so I just told him I really didn't think it was a good idea and asked if he was sure. Apparently Evan had also been given premonitions to get a special bag for floating down the river or the boat key floater things before the trip but didn't. So I guess the only choice was to bring them. Evan also put his wallet in this stupid Ziploc bag too.

Now, had I not felt so naggy before I would have most definitely spoke up and said what I felt. But I didn't know then that what I was feeling was a prompting, and not a naggy wife. Lesson #1 I learned: Go ahead a be a naggy wife, it may pay off in the end!! heehee

Once again I'm just not feeling right, we are just about to get in the water and I don't want to go. So I go up to an old friend who has a HUGE floaty that will be the center of all the rafts and ask him if I can hook up to him now to ensure that I get in the center of the rafts.-How this float goes is everyone brings there own rafts, we all push off separate and hook up over time as we all float down the river using caribiners. I knew the rules, but needed to ask, due to my feelings. I wasn't able to hook up, due to safety, but he said I could stay really close. Evan got in right behind me, I hooked up INSTANTLY and turned to get Evan hooked up to me but he was too far behind me.

For 10 minutes the people I hooked up with told me he would catch up and not to worry, the rafts kept rotating, so I couldn't keep my eye on him, and I had to keep rowing to keep us all from going into HUGE bushes that would eat you alive. I was really abnormally upset at not having Evan with me, and now I couldn't see him. I finally unhooked from the group and decided to hold on to the huge bushes that usually when you get close to them have other branches under the water that are famous for popping holes in your boat.

But I wanted my husband so I was willing to hold on and risk it. At first it was okay holding on and waiting for him, but then I grabbed another branch that I thought might help me stick out more so I could see Evan and he could see me, but that was a very bad move, the river was moving so fast, and I don't know why but it took me under so fast, the boat seriously was going out from under me and instantly filled with water. I let go super quick and the river moved me down to a new branch that didn't take me down. So I just held on and in just a minute I saw Evan. We quickly hooked up and I was happy! I didn't care if Evan and I never hooked up to anyone, I was just happy to be with Evan.

Evan then tells me of his experience while we were away. He also got lead into the killer trees, he made it through a couple of them, but then there was a gal in front of him that was stuck, so his raft had no where to go but flip, yup, you guessed it, he lost the keys in the river. The Ziploc bags that we brought SUCK!!! Both of our bags opened on us during our adventures. But there was a blessing, Evan's wallet got stuck in the bag, so when Evan grabbed the bag his wallet was still there!! THANK GOODNESS. Evan and I were both still going to have a good time and float the river and look for the keys when we were driven back up to our truck. HOWEVER, things just weren't going right for me. We kept getting way too close to the trees and rocks and I just couldn't take anymore. I wanted off!!!! I was crying and really freaking out. I didn't mind walking all the way back to our truck and just sitting and waiting till people came back. I had to honor the feelings I felt earlier and get off the float.

I didn't think Evan would really let me get off the float. But he did, he put all his effort into saving me. It really was hard. I was really freaking out and not making it any easier. The river was so strong. I was so scared. Nothing was working out. I started praying out loud just saying "God Help Us, God help us" At one point Evan was able to stand and he was holding me and the 2 rafts still. Trying so hard to walk us over to the edge. In the process he slipped and lost his wedding ring. That was horrible for me, the whole time I just cared about Evan, The keys were gone, his ring was gone, what is next? I have nothing to lose but Evan.

I'm sorry to say I'm not used to being happy for very long before its taken from me and I'm humbled. So I fear losing Evan because I'm so happy with him, At that moment when Evan slipped and lost his ring I feared then that God was telling me not to go on the float trip earlier because something bad was going to happen. I feared that I was about to be punished for not listening to God, and my Husband was about to be taken from me.

Evan finally got us onto land which was perfectly at another push off point for rafts. We left our rafts there and started walking down the road back to our truck. But not before I held Evan as a life line and silently thanked Heavenly Father for keeping us safe and getting onto land. We were maybe 2 miles away from our truck, so maybe a 45 minute walk was ahead of us. 5 minutes into our walk a young man stopped and offered us a ride to our truck. That was very nice. Blessing #3 of the day. (that I'm aware of)

We then spent a few hours walking along the river down to the area where Evan went under and lost the keys. I have heard talks in church about people praying to find keys that they have lost in lakes and rivers and they have found them. They call them key prayers. =) I tried to pray for Evan to find the keys but all that was coming out was thanks to God for our lives. I'm sure we maybe weren't in any real danger but it didn't feel like it at the time, nor given the odd feelings I felt before we left. So all I felt was a heart full of thanks. Evan was wanting to get into the river and look for the keys. I didn't want him to, everything was still just too fresh for me. After seeing the depth and speed of the river he decided not to go in. I know Evan is a strong swimmer it wasn't his ability I was doubting. I was fearful of the Adversary and about going against my gut feeling again. I know about the power Satan uses on the water. I hate water.

We walked back to the truck and called a few people, no one had a copy of a key for the truck Evan just got from work on Wednesday! There was a nice guy there who drove Evan into town (blessing #4) to see if the Ford dealership could make him a key, (they were closed) the local locksmith wouldn't do it. So we had no choice now but to wait for our friends to come back and drive back to camp. Luckily, my friend Dave was heading back home that day so we got a ride home with. We are now home, and just have to sit and wait until Monday to get a key made for the truck. Once again, all of this seems so small, I'm just thankful to have Evan. Our Friday was great, and walking around in the woods with Evan was fun too. It was an experience!