Our First Family Camping Trip -- A Terrible, Wonderful Adventure

One of two things will happen when you read this post: 1) you'll get a good laugh at our expense and rest confidently in your view that camping is definitely not for you, or 2) you'll get a good laugh at our expense and think we're weak sauce for considering our camping trip difficult. Either way you get to burn some calories laughing, so here goes.

We just returned from a 2-night camping trip to Land Between the Lakes National Park. It was wonderful and horrible at the same time. I grew up camping and so did my husband. But we're not pros by any means and this was back country camping (no running water, meaning no sink or shower anywhere). There was a community toilet, which we were extremely thankful for. And a fire pit at each campsite.

So we arrived in the evening, pitched our tent and got set up, ate some sandwiches, started building a fire and enjoying the supermoon. Then our 3-year old puked. Not just once. All night long. Poor guy. A stomach bug at home is one thing. A stomach bug in the wilderness with no running water is another. After he puked all over his and his brother's bedding, the 4 of us cozied up on one queen air mattress. And got no sleep.

The puking wasn't the only reason we didn't sleep that night though. The three hours of severe thunderstorms added to our bliss. Actually, though, besides being scared that a tree might fall on our tent and kill us, or lightning might strike the ground next to us and electrocute us, this was a pretty cool part of the trip. I love thunder storms. I've never been a part of them like this though. We watched lightning flash across the lake, brightening the sky like it was daytime. The thunder was so loud and continuous we couldn't even hold up a conversation. But why would you want to? There weren't even words to describe how majestic it was. Truly awesome.

Nick started off the next morning catching a big bass, so that was a highlight. I got to read on the edge of the peaceful lake while the kids slept in after our sleepless night. My sister and brother in law showed us how to cook eggs and bacon over a fire (I'd always just eaten hot dogs, sandwiches and other non-cook foods on camping trips).

While we were rummaging through the woods gathering wood for the fire, lo and behold -- we disturbed a copperhead in its nest 20 feet from our tent. Jump back! Thank God my brother in law who accidentally unearthed it didn't get struck. We watched it for a long time until it buried itself again. And then we prayed it didn't come back out. Oh, but it did...

Or else its friend did. After a full afternoon of swimming in the lake (when Cole got bit by a horsefly and freaked out), we did some more fishing. As we were standing on the shore casting our lines and waiting for fish to bite, a "turtle" kept poking its head out of the water and swimming around. It eventually got closer to shore and the kids were excited that it might swim ashore so we approached it. Look out! Another copperhead. The darn things swim!!! I don't know if it was the same one we saw earlier that day (if so, that means it travelled across our camp site to get to the water) or another one, but either way it was disturbing. Nick threw rocks at it till it swam away. Then we watched our every step after that.

We cooked up Nick's bass for dinner. Ever gutted and scaled a fish, then cooked it whole over a campfire? Me neither. I just watched. Then it was s'mores and playing music and drinking wine by the fire. Very fine.

Oh, but don't forget the tick checks. Cole had one in his hair. We're no strangers to ticks but I still hate the things. And he wasn't too happy to have it pulled off either.

The kids crashed early and we followed suit later. This time we turned the air mattress sideways (with mine and Nick's feet hanging off the end) and enjoyed a decent night's sleep for being in the back country.

The next morning Nick and the boys fished some more, then we ate, packed up camp, and bid goodbye to the adventure that was our first family camping trip.

Camping has so much value that despite the difficulties we'll do it again. Learning how to survive in the wild, experiencing nature, realizing the luxuries we have, spending technology-free time together, seeing the majesty of God --  it was a wonderful weekend.