Up in the UP

It’s Day 35 of the 100 Day Challenge.  Are you still participating?  What new things are you encountering? Do you have any new habits? This has been a fun challenge and this week I have experienced many new things I’ve never done before.  My husband and I are up in the UP. That’s Upper Peninsula in Michigan for those not in the know. Can anything good come from Michigan? Maybe not a good football team, but it sure has its beauty in God’s creation.  I have taken some wonderful photos this week.

My husband and I and his college friends and their wives were able to get together for a few days at one of the couples’ “cabin/mansion” in the Upper Peninsula.

As college buddies, the guys’ stories have been flying and the laughs abound.  They reminisce about the good times and are still competing in all things.

Some of us were able to do some “firsts.” There were ATV rides, and a pontoon excursion, a campfire and a trip to a local pottery shop. There were jet skis and swimming, hikes and walks. We are living like kings and queens with delicious food and drinks, like our newly created vodka and grapefruit “Bahzinga” or the infamous “Fruity Bird.” (Bird Dog and peaches)

When you have a group this size, you learn that not everyone is going to get what they want. Things go wrong sometimes and you just have to be flexible and go with the flow. When problems arise and with this crew, they always do. We have developed a system of “report, repair or replace.”

Everyone in the group goes out of their way to be so helpful, waiting on each other hand and foot. This is living life to the fullest: when all of the friends use a culmination of their character traits for the benefit of their friends. This week was heaven on earth for me.

Each one of these people are the most caring and unassuming people you would ever want to meet. This week was about the love these 7 guys have shared for each other over the years. And the love that has grown through the friendships the wives have made with each other. We all have a great time when we get together and we look forward to our next adventures.

Life is good with family, but it is even better with friends, friends to share experiences and stories, dreams for the future and lives lived. So get out there. Start your 100 day challenge. Make new memories with your friends and share stories of the old ones. –Just make sure to keep it real. Some of these stories are unbelievable. They tend to grow into fables the older these guys get.

Thank you to all these friends who are so selfless and giving, who made time to share their life and love with us.

God bless.–Barb