However, the trip was not by any means void of adventure, chaos and danger- that seems to be how we like it in our family. Naturally, we had all decided to drive up to the remote section of mountain where this glorious cabin lay, during the largest snow storm I had ever seen. We contemplated putting a nix on the whole operation several times as the white out conditions were sending my mother(in the car ahead of us) into histerics and our four wheel drive car was struggling around the windy roads...but where's the fun in that.So we continued... Ryan and I eventually got to the most trechurous part of the drive which consisted of steep inclines and declines and narrow windy roads. I watched helplessly as Ryan grew more and more tense with every incline and decline. He seemed to be in physical pain as he grunted and moaned while driving up the hills- as if that would somehow help our car push its way up. We were nearing the end of our journey when we took a brief stop to check our map...our first mistake. We later learned that we were stuck in the snow, in the middle of the deep dark forest, in a raging blizzard.
Attempting to remain positive, I tried pushing the car while Ryan drove- a ridiculous notion- nothing happened. Frustrated, Ryan demanded that I get in the car with Jane. And I, of coarse, protested the very connotation that I, a woman, was not capable of getting us out of this mess as well as he could, as I dusted snow out from the front of the tires. After my lengthy speech on women's rights, I looked up to see that Ryan was no where to be seen... I yelled for him and searched desperately for him... but he had disappeared. I was devastated and shocked, "Me, a widow this young? Maybe a pack of wolves got him?" Genuinly frightened, I got into the car and put the peddle to the metal- I wasn't going to die like that- alone int he wilderness! To my astonishment, my efforts prevailed- I had freed us from our snowy grave.
Several minutes later, I saw Ryan drving towards me on a four wheeler. Initially, I was glad to see that he wasn't dead and then fury set in when I realized that he had abandoned Jane and I. He had every intention of being the hero and rescuing us by walked the rest of the way to the cabin and coming back to pull us out, however I beat him to the punch- and saved us with my Zena, the warrior princess, like strength and agility!!! I am a super woman!!!
The rest of the trip was delightful- here are a few fun pics:
All the Cousins together- and one on the way!!!
Jane with Aunt Courtney and Cousin Charlotte!!
...which he opened swiftly and crazily like he was 6 years old again...Exaclty three seconds later, he had his toys out and was playing with them excitedly.
