100,000 miles

It's appropriate that Big Blue passed this major milestone (100,000 miles on that lovely deisel engine!) not just on any old mundane trip, but on our once-every-few-years excursion to the North Shore of Lake Superior.

The last time we took this trip, we were a little family of six. ;)

The Glewwes in 2012

This time we traveled as a family of ten!

The Glewwes in 2016

We stayed at the same hotel we did last time - a cute place where the rooms are in (finished) old train boxcars. We had the biggest room they offer - a king size two-room suite. With three roll-away cots, a pull out bed, a few in our bed, and some chair cushions on the floor for Evania, we had just enough room for everyone.

The weather is a little unpredictable this time of year, but for that very reason the hotel rates (and other costs, too!) drop this week, and going during the week and not on the weekend also afforded us a second night at half price. Yay!!! (That also helps make a trip like this affordable in the middle of an adoption!) Then, pack lots of bread, apples, cheese sticks (and a jar of Nutella to make it extra special) so we don't have to go to restaurants, and we're pretty well set for a family vacation.

There are times when having a larger family, and one that includes members who have physical and other challenges can put limits on what we can do, but there are lots of things we can do, so do them we do!

Our first day up we stopped at Gooseberry Falls. I am always in awe of the rocks. They're almost more spectacular to me than the waterfalls!

Daddy helping Reuben navigate a fallen log to get to the outcropping where Owen waits, cheering them on.

Rinnah couldn't quite handle the crossing, so she stayed on the side leaping over little tributaries.

 While we were here, we almost always had a death grip on Reuben and Evania. Gloria got to spend lots of time napping and otherwise in the carrier!

Amazing landscape

This isn't exactly Krassi's idea of fun, but he DOES love to smile for photos!

Owen's way out there exploring.

Reuben's reaching for a rock to throw. It's an unstoppable urge for him whenever he sees a body of water. Thankfully there was no shortage of rock for throwing here!

We were always thinking of our girls. Here, there are two ways to get back up from the Falls. One is a long stair case; the other is a zig-zagging ramp. "Wouldn't it be fun to bring B here sometime?"

The second (and only full) day of our trip we started at Split Rock Lighthouse. Our favorite part is less about the lighthouse and more just the spectacular rocky shore line.

After following the trail down, down, down to the shoreline, we left Krassi's wheelchair behind by a little shack and didn't come back for it for a few hours.

Reuben, with the lighthouse in the background.

Evania, ever serious, was, as is typical for her, terrified when we first saw (and heard!) the water (it really is quite loud with the waves crashing in on the rocks!) but she quickly found her element, and began marching seriously around on the rocks, with a firm grip on someone's hand!

Krassi's photo with the light house. We like to email photos of what he's up to over the weekends to his teachers at school so he has something to share with his class during "morning meeting." It's important to me that his classmates have a mental picture of him that includes regular and exciting experiences just like they enjoy!

There is endless fascination in throwing rocks.

There is something so very attractive to me about that man that I married, particularly when he's hiking through rugged terrain with my oldest son in his arms.

With some guidance and coaching from Dad and Owen, Reuben was able to do some real-life rock climbing - not just one of those fake things on the playground, but the real deal!

Rinnah was fascinated by this large piece of water-worn driftwood.

Further down the shore (we hiked probably a strong half mile down the shoreline away from the light house), there was a place where a multitude of dark, tumbled rocks covered the beach (much of the edge is comprised of monstrous rocks), and Reuben found himself a place right on the edge that was safe enough for us to let him sit without a hand for a while. I think if he'd had his Bible spread open in his lap he would have been surpremely happy. As it was, it's a good thing he didn't, because a moment after this photo was taken a larger than average wave crashed up and filled his lap with water!! Thankfully it wasn't TOO cold!

Beautiful little treasures hidden between the rocks.

More hiking.

We hiked back up the trail and waited by this rock while Daddy and Owen ran back down the spur that led to where we'd left Krassi's chair.

This photo also really makes me think of B. Wouldn't it be great to see HER face back there with the rest of them?

We are working on slowing building up a collection of bumper stickers for Big Blue, just like it had when we first bought it (but had to have removed when we had the rust removal done). Owen gave us an early family Christmas present that he picked up on our trip...

We'll have to see how many places this vehicle gets to over its next 100,000 miles!

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Just for fun, here are a few shots of Big Blue that we took before we bought it...Big Blue is no stranger to the North Shore!