Camp Loll Anniversary Trip

Here we are all packed up and ready for an adventure in our new ride!

 We decided to get a time out the weekend of our 9th wedding anniversary and get an adventure in! Justin asked where I would want to go a week before. I didn't even say anything, I just looked at him and he said "We can go to Camp."  He knows me so well!

We set out in our new ride, a 2011 Subaru Outback! It is pretty much Justin's dream car, and since his car died, we looked into it and found a great deal.  This is the first car we've bought together (after 9 years, I know:) Justin wanted to take it on our trip, but we weren't sure it was going to be here in time, but it was!  Way to go Justin, prayers work!

We stayed Thursday night in Idaho Falls, and then started our trek into Camp (Camp Loll of course) the next morning after breakfast.  We had to stop at this house and take a look around.  The foundation is looking pretty creaky/ nonexistant, so I was feeling pretty brave stepping into the doorway for this picture.  Maybe the "Zombie" from the Cranberries we were listening to helped:) 

The Road Home.

Spruce Grove Selfie!

 Surprisingly we drove right into camp. We had brought shovels just in case we had to do some digging and were planning on hiking in as it was the first week of June still, but the snow wasn't anywhere on the road. We lucked out! Justin was loving the extra clearance on our car, and it handled so well on the dirt road. I think he was really enjoying the mud puddles that we drove right on through.
We got to Camp at about noon. First we took a walk around to the spruce grove and over to the spring. We just did a once over to check things out.  It felt so good to breathe that
mountain air!  We spotted some pretty wildflowers too!

Spring Beauties!  I ate a few of these and thanked Bowquait:)

Hiked over to Polar Bear Spring and the water level was awesome!We didn't get in I'm sad to say:(

Me in my happy place:)

Can you see the snow on the hill?  One of my favorite views from the campfire bowl.

Then we set up at Yukatat for lunch:)  It was fun and there were a bunch of mosquitos!

Gibson meadows had some gorgeous daisy's to look at!  I've never seen this many in one place:)

Overlook from weather rock on our way out of dodge. 

 I was so glad that we got to go visit a place we love so much.  Deciding to go work at camp was really hard for me back in 2009.  I wanted to start a family with Justin and had a hard time understanding what the pull was to work all summer up in this beautiful place.  I remember being a little put out that Justin would place working at a Boy Scout Camp over starting a family.  But I trusted him and as we prayed and fasted about it, I knew it was the right decision.  Over the years as I look back I am so glad that we made that decision together, and that I trusted my husband and the Lord.  I now think of how unfair it would've been for me to deny Justin the thing he had been dreaming about for 4 somewhat miserable years in the Marines and two really hard, really long deployments.  And he wasn't putting off starting a family, but helping our family of just the two of us become so much stronger.  We gained a bond by working (sometimes) side by side at Camp Loll that I know we NEVER could have gotten any where else.  I now love those he loves and understand the magic and wonder of spending a summer amongst the tall trees. I now get the feeling of being a part of young boys and girls working together making differences in the lives of their peers and the youth of America.  That first year was the hardest job I've ever had before and since, and taught me a lot about myself and what I am capable of.  In short it prepared me in so many ways for the challenges that God new I had ahead of me.  I'm so thankful for that small piece of wilderness and the large part it takes up in our hearts. :)