Big Climb

We climbed to Stuart Lake, yesterday. Thirteen of us. The youngest are twins of six years. They marched with the rest of us from twelve thirty to four o'clock to get to the lake. (We did stop for lunch at a foaming creek for one hour.) Then they practically ran all the way off the mountain, taking two hours. Amazing.

At the creek, the kids jumped into the ice water. Jason caught it all on his new camera. It was a great time. Buster really didn't want to go in, but he peed his pants and his mom dunked him in the ice water to clean him up and as a form of punishment. It was a tragic comedy. Through his tears and agony he kept claiming to be happy. "I'm happy, I'm happy he would cry trying to paste a smile on his agonized face." Zero tolerance is the motto. I believe it works. He had a similar experience at the lake. He got miserable up there and his mom, tough as gum rubber, took him for another swim. Again, he pleaded through tears that he was happy, but to no avail. His pronouncements didn't cut it. He was made happy by having to stay in the cold drink until he could get control of himself. Victory again. Most admitted they couldn't be that tough. That is the part of discipline that eludes most parents--tough love. These kids will praise God forever that He saw fit to put them into this family. I believe they will be saved.

It was a great day. We were all as tired as could be by evening, but our tough Yukon boys, Ziggy and Jake, decided to climb the mountain behind Angie's house to show their toughness. Caleb needed to be sent after them when the sun went down. It was a rescue mission that only a super hero could handle. With cell phone in hand, he found them by the big tree and reported his success with a terse "roger" at the close of the call.