A Perry Tale: Canada Fishing Trip

Today, Brent arrives in Red Lake, Ontario, Canada for a fishing trip. This trip has been happening for years and it was just a few years ago that the "new" generation got involved in going. The participants have changed over the years. This year it is Brent, his brother Brian, friends Tim W., Brent C. and his dad and friends Marv, Jim, Digger, Doc and Ron.

This is the fourth time Brent has gone on the trip. He had a hard time deciding if he should attend this year. There are always plenty of things that need to be accomplished at home, but the major weight he felt was being gone from Lucas (and maybe me a teeny bit).

He'll be gone for ten days. The night before he left, he and Lucas made a paper chain to count down the days until he'd be home. This was totally Brent's idea - he went and found the paper, crayons, tape and ribbon. It was so adorable to watch them make this together. It is hanging in the kitchen and we walk by it several times a day.

The first chain was a family picture. Dad, Mom, Lucas and Baby. Each stick figure was progressively smaller in size to represent us.

A couple of other chains had tractors, wagons, augers and bins. Brent and Lucas have been talking alot lately about fall and how fall means harvest and combining.

There were three chains that Brent wrote messages on... Daddy loves Lucas, Daddy loves Baby and Daddy loves Mommy.

I know Brent is having a wonderful time on this trip. He deserves it. He works so hard to provide for our family and is so busy with other commitments all year long. But boy, do I miss him. It's my blog, so I can brag - I have the best husband ever! Sometimes we get so busy in our everyday lives that we take the little things for granted - eating supper together, our bedtime talks, heading out the door in the morning, a phone call during the day just to 'check in' and most of all, watching him and Lucas play together.

He left me a sweet and mushy note the morning he left. Of course, it made me cry. {He does things like this. For instance, on special occasions he always writes mushy notes in the card and judges his success by my level of teary-eyedness.} I feel so blessed that I love Brent more today than the day we married. Life is not always easy and pleasant, but having my best friend by my side is a major plus. God has blessed me with amazing gifts... Brent, Lucas and a baby, amazing family and friends, a wonderful place to live and work. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.

Okay, back to the fishing trip!

Brent isn't the only one that leaves sweet notes. Every year he has gone on this trip, I've left notes in his suitcase, one for each day of the trip. This year, the notes also had photos of Lucas. One of my favorites I included was this: