For 12 amazing years I've had the chance to fall asleep and wake up every morning next to my best friend...he makes me laugh like no one else, his tenderness and testimony of the Gospel can bring me to tears, but most importantly, this weekend, I was reminded again that he's the one who makes me feel completely, utterly and entirely safe. I am one lucky girl! Our weekend get-away to Falcon's Ledge was filled with adventure and romance and things we never could have imagined...
We arrived at Falcon's Ledge, unloaded our gear and headed out to shoot...you gotta love these glasses. I look at this picture and wonder if we look like we really should be handling guns?! Not a very flattering picture of us...but it made me smile.
In the background of this picture of Garrett fishing is Falcon's Ledge. It's one of our favorite places to be. Lots of fly fishing, pheasant hunting and hiking...not to mention incredible breakfasts, dinners and awesome sack lunches for eating on the river! It's a beautiful lodge in the middle of Altamont...plenty of fishing ponds on the property and no one within miles.
Of course, Garrett always catches plenty of fish, and I even caught a few, including a 16 inch rainbow, but while holding him, as Garrett got the camera ready, he squirmed right out of my hands back into the water - no joke! Here is one of the little rainbows that I caught...always catch and release!
Kids aren't allowed at the lodge anymore, but up until two years ago, before ownership changed, the previous owner would let us bring our kids up during the off season, when no one else was at the lodge. We would have the whole place to ourselves and it was a blast. We spent the nights playing games, sitting in the hot tub, and watching our favorite movies with popcorn and hot chocolate . The days were spent ice fishing, sledding and target shooting...the kids still talk about it. I miss those days, but also realize our kids won't be little for long and one day soon they'll be able to join us. One great memory I have at Falcon's Ledge is from 2004, when President Hinckley invited us to read the Book of Mormon by the end of that year...as a family we took on that challenge and made plans to stay at Falcon's Ledge one of the last weekends in December to read the last few chapters in the Book of Mormon away at Falcon's Ledge. We are now on our 3rd time reading the Book of Mormon together as a family...looking back, I'm grateful for that invitation from President Hinckley because it has helped set our family on the right course.
I love watching Garrett get all of his gear on to fly fish...but I especially love to watch him on the river...he is a natural fly fisherman!
Garrett scouting out the best place on the river and me, hanging out on the bridge, taking shots of my favorite guy from above...
We fished Rock Creek, then drove to Upper Stillwater, in the High Uintahs, and hiked along the ridge down to the river for some more fishing and lunch by the river. Clouds filled the sky, but it was so sunny and warm - we had no idea what was about to hit us...and hit us hard! Garrett fished the river with not much luck because of the run off this time of year and I read and took pictures of G fishing.
About a half hour in, Garrett hooked his first fish on that section of river (above)...a beautiful brook trout, and, feeling a little better about the fishing, we decided to take a break and eat lunch. We sat on a huge rock in the middle of the river and enjoyed our sack lunches just moments before the rain poured down. We hopped off the rock and took shelter under the many pine trees right around us thinking it would end any minute...but it kept pouring down. We were loving the adventure and excitement of being in the middle of the High Uintahs in an awesome rainstorm...but after about 30 minutes and pretty much being soaked through, I was beginning to shiver.
Garrett ventured out on a search for better shelter, all through out he was so worried about me...continually asking if I was ok. I felt safe with him...not because of the gun he was carrying, but just because of his confidence and calmness. He found better shelter a few feet away and we huddled together under the huge old pine trees to stay as warm as we could...a perfect time to take advantage of kissing in the rain!
We kept waiting for the storm to be over, but the rain was not letting up...then all too quickly, the thunder and lightning began and were within seconds of each other. Getting closer and closer, way too fast! We couldn't get back to the truck because we would have had to hike along the ridge of the mountain which would not have been safe, so we moved into a clearing and crouched down close to the ground - still trying to keep somewhat out of the torrential rain and now pounding hail. Garrett mentioned I should record the storm for the kids to hear, so I turned on the camera and caught the next crash of thunder and lightening on video...it was about 50 yards in front of us up on the ridge. I was becoming afraid. It was no longer as fun and exciting...the thunder and lightening were right above us and all around us.
I asked if we could offer a prayer…we knelt and I asked our Heavenly Father for protection and guidance of where we should go...Garrett immediately felt we should move. As I followed him across the trail, which was now a small stream, I knew we would be led to safety. We had only moved about 20 yards, but we both felt this was where we needed to be. That was confirmed to us as another lightning bolt hit and we turned back to see the place it had hit was right where we were...what if Garrett hadn't heeded the prompting he received? What if we hadn't moved? Where would it have led?I lost it and fell into Garrett's arms and cried...I knew Heavenly Father was mindful of us out there in the High Uintahs. I knew he would lead us to safety. I turned to Garrett and said "I know He knows we're here"...I could feel him watching over us. Every flash of lightening and crash of thunder shook me to my bones, but I knew, even amid the storm, that our Heavenly Father was aware of us out there in those mountains.
We waited about another 20 minutes (which felt like forever) with lightening bolts hitting all around, then, almost as quickly as it came, it was over. The birds came out and the squirrels began chattering - it was an amazing thing to witness nature resume it's natural course of life. The animals knew it was safe to come out of hiding, so, we felt it was safe for us to hike back to the truck.
Looking back on the storm, even with the booming thunder and lightening and pouring rain, it was eerily silent, but once the storm passed and the animals came out there was a sense of peace and calmness that is hard to explain...another witness that Heavenly Father was watching over.
We made it safely to the truck, offered a prayer of thanks, put on some dry clothes and began our drive home. It was about an hour and a half from the first rain drop to the last. As we drove to the closest camp, about 1/4 mile away, we noticed it hadn't rain a single drop past where we were...the storm stayed right above us that whole time. What a weekend...what an experience! One that we will never forget. One that has strengthened our marriage. One that has strengthened my testimony that Heavenly Father truly knows us and loves us, of that I have no doubt!
