Garden Valley Pyrah Reunion Begins! A time to tether, and an a time to break free.

Garden Valley Reunion take 2

In July 2022, we were invited to join the Kurt and Linda family in Idaho for a few days retreat.  The reunion time again was coming up and Linda extended the invitation.  I mentioned it to Joel and he said, yes I want to go.  I said, yes, I would as well, but I didn't know how we were going to afford the trip and another week off of work.  Slowly miracles and challenges, more challenges and more miracles.  Small jobs came in and we paid for our portion of the retreat.  Now we needed a few more jobs or something to come in to pay for the week of work off.  That came in as well. Now all we had to do was get out the door!  We managed that, but phew!

It was now, Monday July 15, 2024, 6:30 and dinner time once we made it to Garden Valley Idaho for the reunion.  We unloaded, ate dinner, and the kids were never to be seen again... Ok, not quite.  Brystol was supposed to sleep in the room assigned to Joel, JJ, and me, but she didn't want to sleep with us.  She wanted to sleep with the big kids and the other cousins! And so she did.  

We are staying at Canyon River Retreat.  It was previously the High School for the Valley, but when the city built a new HS, the old was purchased, renovated, and turned into an airbnb. It can sleep 90+ people.  There is a commercial kitchen.  The gym has blow up bounce houses, volley ball, basketball, a rock climbing wall, a large above ground pool, huge grass areas, a cafeteria, lounge area and so much more.  It's the perfect place to house so many families who all belong to Kurt and Linda. We are just bonus/adopted. 

Monday we had a celebration of Kurt and Linda's life and their family.  It was fun to see all the old photos and videos of their life and raising all of the kids.  Then grandkids, and then great grand kids.  Family. It's all about the people. 

Tuesday after breakfast, grandpa helped the grandkids built rockets! Then once the glue dried, we tested their air worthiness!  The kids all had a blast shooting off and catching them. After rockets, some of the kids tested out the pool.  The thing about mountain pools... they aren't exactly warm! 

After breakfast and rockets, many of us got ready to head down and float the river.  It's always a huge group and lots of chaos and fun. The river was lower this year so a few places were walk or get stuck!  JJ did pretty well floating the river, but Brystol didn't love it.  It wasn't until I unhooked her from all of the other tubes and said steer your own tube that things got better. 

 

I feel like there's an analogy to life there.  At times we are safer together, but sometimes we are more weighed down and can't float as well because of others weight or drag.  I was having a hard time steering and maneuvering while attached to Sirius and Joel.  Then hard when attached to Brystol JJ and Emi.  I cut Emi loose and after the scream and gnashing of teeth she floated off and caught up with others.  Eventually I cut Byrstol loose to steer for her and JJ.  I was too heavy and it weighed them down.  Once on their own, she was able to steer better, float better and I think have a better time. We were the last ones off the river.  Hailey had a blast.  Emi loved every minute of it.  Brystol was good having it done it once!  

Sometimes being tethered is a good things and sometimes its not.  Trying to keep Sirius connected to us and a tube and keep him on the leash was frustrating, infuriating, exhausting.  Once we took the chance and unleashed Sirius and hoped he didn't swim off down the river and leave us things went better.  He found his own way, swam a bit, walked the shoreline, but never went too far.  It was much nicer floating without the extra stress. Sometimes it's good to be attached.  Sometimes its good and necessary to let go. The hard part is learning when and where to tether and where to let go.