“When I jumped, I was just fine.  But when I hit the ground [with my face], I was not.”

A big boom later, she was hooked.

The target is at 45 yds.  I have the open sights set for 3 inches high at 50 yds.

She’s a natural!

More photos.

Daddy at the oars, Gunner on the fish

Apparently, two consecutive thoughts from Caleb:
C: “Let’s make our popcorn.”
D: “OK.”
C: “Daddy, I love you.”

I did remember the camera this time. What’s more, having a camera woman to collect the pictures and video makes for a solid recording of the event. Enjoy the pictures and video.

Caleb’s first fish
Video

More pictures from the day:
Gallery pictures

This year, the wife and I planned a trip to the Beaver’s Bend / Broken Bow Lake area of Southeastern Oklahoma. So, we rented a cabin from a couple who live on the acreage where the cabin resides. The weather forecast was delightfully cool, and we were all excited about the trip. So much so, that the girls convinced me to leave a day early.

However, by the second night Breanna was vomiting and feeling quite poor. As she had a friend a school had just completed a three bout day with a nasty stomach virus, I thought Brenna had just picked up the virus. By the second night, Breanna was feeling better and wanting to eat everything in sight.

But, by the third day the pain in her abdomen was no longer easily explained by a virus. I thought that maybe the dry heaving had made her stomach muscles very sore. We cut the trip short and drove five hours home. Breanna endured the trip very well. In fact, she rarely made a sound except when we hit a large dip in the road.

Once home, we scheduled a visit to the pediatrician on the day before Thanksgiving. The nurse practitioner was a little suspicious and sent us to the hospital. In rather short order (we were at a children’s hospital), we had a sonogram on Breanna’s abdomen. Also in short order, the ER doctor announced the diagnosis of a ruptured appendix and that the surgical team was preparing for an emergency appendectomy.

Within the half hour, my wife and I are kissing Breanna one last time before she goes into surgery. In no more than 40 minutes later, the surgeon is giving us a debriefing on the completed surgery! (I am serious – I timed the whole thing!) The diagnosis and surgery took just a few hours, but the recovery will take about five days.

And so, I sit and watch my daughter sleep. Sadly, it has been a while since I did this. She is almost ten now, and the memories of watching her sleep in her crib are simultaneously close and far at hand. She has persevered through the abdominal pain of the inflamed appendix and continues to bear the hated stomach tube that drains her stomach through her nose. My little girl has grit. In fact, she shocked the entire staff by taking a five minute, unaided walk just three hours after surgery. (Yes, the IV pole was in tow.)

Today is Thanksgiving Day. My family and I have even more for which to be thankful this year. I am utterly amazed at the provision that God has given to me by just placing me in this specific century and geographic location. I can not escape the signs of His sovereignty.

Yet another picture of my beautiful daughter

Roast Wild Duck (Teal)

The road trip destination is a Residence Inn about twenty minutes from the house. In general, the destination must have three primary ingredients: swimming pool, kitchenette, breakfast.

We arrive at the hotel at about 1530. This is so late according to Princess-time. We could have checked in 30 minutes earlier! Princess just loves to explore the room when we arrive. She pursues every closet, cabinet, light, door, and drawer like an adventurous boy would explore an old garage. (OK, you are right. My particular Princess would explore an old garage with equal zeal.)

So why the particular ingredient list? The swimming pool is standard issue for Princess. She could have swam four days in a row, but if we stay in a hotel swimming is required. As the high temperature is cresting above 101F today, a swimming pool in the shade of the hotel is not a bad idea.

Ah, the kitchenette. Princess was beside herself for her first hotel stay. She went over the top when she learned that some hotel rooms had kitchenettes or even better. So, her usual request for the road trip is to cook dinner in the hotel room. Tonight, we are having soft tacos. In true princess fashion, she glowed when I found a website to help us set a proper dinner table. Scouring the cabinets for all sign of tableware, Princess set out all the items that would fit on the two person table. (This is where a nice picture of the set table would go if I remembered the camera.)

See you down at the pool.

Breanna and I ventured to the famous drainage ditch in search of tadpoles.

I brought my own pole, or rod, to try my hand at some sub-palm sized sunfish. I caught a handful of fish on a #16 olive something. The fly was very small – so small that the fish were inhaling it . My hemostats just nearly did not fit into the mouth.

Oh, Breanna caught a monster, also.