And now...the end is near..

July 30th-

Sue’s Thoughts….the last morning of an incredible trip….

Waking up today brings a wave of mixed emotions from great sadness that this journey has come to an end to great joy & anticipation of reconnecting with family and friends who I have missed these past 3 weeks.  When my dad and I planned this trip years ago, I had no idea what adventures were in store.  And while he wasn’t physically with me on this trip, he was most certainly here in spirit.  And his passion for the water and boating will continue to live in my soul and this trip has only further ignited a desire for more water adventures! 

 But it must be said that the trip is only as good as the crew and I what a crew we had!  Starting out that first week with Rob and Jan who I really didn’t know (they were friends of Peter & Michele’s) I must admit I (as was probably the case for them) was a bit apprehensive of how everyone would “meld”.  I’ve mentioned that this trip is all about expecting the unexpected and that certainly applies to these two amazingly loving and kind people!  I have a deep respect for both of them and a special place in my heart for my new “sister/friend” Jan!  She is a mix of sugar and spice and I hope we can continue our friendship on land!   Next to arrive for week #2 was John (another friend of P & M’s).  What a change that was!  In walks this smart-mouthed cocky in-your-face guy who loves to get a rise out of people and I am thinking this is going to be a long week!  However, I soon learned that he is really a very kind teddy bear (and yes he will hate that I said that) and quickly became my new “brother/friend”.  The final week brought great joy as my dear husband (and dog) joined the crew!    I cannot express how touched I was that Mike (who originally did not want to go at all) spent Friday-Thursday with us.  His great sense of humor and easy going spirit (and of course his love for me) took the level of emotion on the trip up several notches!  Michele was our final crew member to join us during week 3.  Peter had been long anticipating her arrival and they celebrated with a dinner out on the town-just the 2 of them- to get reacquainted that first night.  I believe those two have many more river trips in their future!  And now to the final crew member who without him this trip would not have been possible- my dear friend and captain-Peter Borne.  I really struggle here on how to convey my gratitude to this man who took an idea of mine and made it into a trip of a lifetime.  In fact it is hard to see the screen as I type this due to the tears.  We had many challenges along the way-boat breaking down, weather, financial worries, etc-and at no point did he ever get mad or get down or want to end the trip.  And all throughout the trip he spread happiness to those we met.  He has a gift for making people feel at ease and in a world that is filled with so much negativity his gift is greatly needed!  He is lucky to have a strong family base to support him as he helps others in his unique ways.  I feel very honored to have spent 3 weeks with him as I have learned many things but most importantly is how to be a better friend.  Thank you Peter for sharing your time, talents, and boat with me.  I pray God continues to bless you with opportunities to add joy to those who need it the most.  

Okay, enough “mushy” stuff as I’ve run out of kleenex!  And our final day on the water is starting.  The sun is up and I am guessing that now that the boat has stopped rocking that my 2 crew members are ready for some breakfast!  They say when the boat is “a rocking, don’t come a knocking”, but they never said anything about continuing to blog!!  I think I’ll make egg surprise (meaning putting whatever is left in the refrigerator) for those two in bed (they will need the energy to complete today’s trip)!  

A special “thank you” to all our boat angels, our friends, and our family who have supported us with their prayers, words of kindness, acts of service, and so much more.  And thank you God for blessing us beyond our expectations! You have created a world of beauty and one that we are awed at and will continue to appreciate all the days of our lives. 

Peter’s Thoughts-

Yeah…what she said.