Best Birthday Ever

In the past few years I've developed a real disdain for birthdays. I have never been one for rules and I am certainly not a fan of anything that requires me to put on a show... especially a show of how much fun I'm having. It's like the more pressure there is to enjoy myself, look happy or thankful, the more panic-stricken and unhappy I become. My latest birthdays have tended to be gauntlets of anxiety attacks and depression than barrels of fun. This year the tables turned...

This past Wednesday was spent miles and miles away from civilization, hours away from the nearest super center or interstate and light years away from the drudgery of everyday routine. Accompanied by my parents, all three sisters, my wonderful aunt and uncle and S. Bobleo, the love of my life I spent my 26th birthday paddling down the West Branch Penobscot River in the North Woods of Maine. The beauty of the Alagash cannot be explained or even photographed well enough to ever express what it feels like to actually be there. The smell of the trees and the water, the sound of the river and the forest, undisturbed by motors or small-talk, the feel of the air on your skin or the current running against your hand... These things just can't be effectively translated.  (But I will certainly try in my next few posts!)

Wednesday was filled with challenge, frustration, adventure and ultimately reward and satisfaction. It was our first day of real paddling. Most of the team were novice paddlers, some were practically paddle virgins. Nevertheless, with help from our fearless leader and trusted guide, my Uncle Andy (the coolest guy north of Portsmouth) we traveled 8 miles down river, 1 mile upstream (through the Lobster Lake Inlet) and about 3 harrowing miles across a massive (and very windy) lake. Four of us actually lost control of our boats at the mouth of the lake. We nearly gave up at this point, unable to steer our boats, nearly capsizing and soaking wet. But when the initial cloud of frustration cleared I opened my eyes and remembered how lucky I was to be soaking wet and ankle deep in lake mud. I looked up at the hazy sky and saw the mountain lined horizon that created a kind of sepia masterpiece out of the whole situation. I told my baby sis to keep the rear end of the boat straight, I grabbed hold of the bow line and towed the boat to the shallows where the rest of our family waited. Our entire fleet wound up towing our canoes by foot for a mile or so through the shallows. When the wind died a little Andy gave the go ahead to begin paddling again. We dug in like our lives depended on it and made our way to the most beautiful white sand beach I have ever seen in person.

The trip was riddled with moments like that one, challenges or potential problems that ended up again and again in moments of beauty and joy. I even got a birthday cake.

Camp Cake
1 pound cake
1 tub of chocolate frosting
Dash of confetti sprinkles
12 candles, one for each mile paddled that day

So that was our wonderful trip. I will share more pictures and stories soon, but first I want to share the best thing that happened on July 11, 2007. One of my best friends in the world, Melissa, was facing a challenge of her own. After 2 days of labor sans epidural, blood pressure scares and oodles and oodles of pain she received the best reward a mother could ask for.

A beautiful, healthy baby girl. Her name is Gianna Loreen. But you can call her Gia. Mama and baby are both home, happy and healthy. Gia has a lot of love ahead of her. I'll meet her for the first time tonight, but I am already in love. :)

Comments

[Jennie]

I was eagerly awaiting a post about your trip. I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time, I'm so jealous!