{A Series of Unfortunate Events}

Occasionally Dean will come home from work and the first thing he says is doom & gloom. For example: "We need more food storage or we are going to starve to death" or "The economy is in total shambles--the country is going to burn" etc. etc. (okay...its not usually that bad--but I think he listens to talk radio too much!) Anyway...so he came home on Thursday (Oct. 25th) and the first thing he says is "Well...I might as well just be upfront and say this..." (I am thinking to myself--oh great---he lost his job) He continues "I need to go camping...and this would be a great weekend to do it." I wanted to slap him...so long story short, (he went of course since I am such a wonderful wife) He spent all weekend with Darren, Dennis, Ethan (Nephew), Tyler (cousin) and Jeff (Friend) while they were deer hunting. The events that took place are, to say the least, some of the worst camping/hunting luck ever...here are a few of the highlights:

• Darren, Dennis, Ethan and Tyler got to camp late Thursday and started off the trip with no fire while the temp was below freezing and all their water froze.
• Dean and Jeff arrive Friday, later than planned, despite the ultra-vague directions they were given. After driving an hour longer than expected and saying a prayer for help, they finally found the camp site but no one was there. No one arrived for 3 1/2 hours.
  
• Darren accidentally shot two buck, but only had a tag for one (it really was an accident)
• Darren also lost his wallet, with his tag in it (wallet and tag were eventually found in his back pack which he had looked in twice before)
  
• Darren had 2 tires blow on his truck, leaving them with only 3 good ones.
• Dean and Dennis spent over 6 hours driving, trying to find a new tire. They drove to Baghdad (the closest town) to have the convenience store worker tell them "The tire guy is only here once a week...and he just left." They then drove to Wickenburg where Darryl was able to help out and found a tire place still open who had 1 tire that would fit. (Note: During this time, Darryl's wife Jodi is in the hospital waiting to have their baby and so Darryl is toting around their other 4 children) The tire guy said that he had almost sold this tire and rim (the only one that would fit the truck) earlier in the day, but the customer changed their mind.
  
• Darren and Tyler are left in the middle of nowhere for over 6 hours, hoping Dean and Dennis come back with a new tire, all the while having three dead deer in the back of a truck with 2 flat tires and only 1 tag (Though they finally found the tag while they waited for Dean and Dennis to return).
  
• Jeff and Ethan were left at camp for over 6 hours, not knowing where anyone else was, without transportation and little food. Jeff eventually realized the others might not be coming back, so he got them something to eat and they prepared to go to bed.
  
• No one brought flatware to eat with or walkie-talkies to communicate with (Go Eagle Scouts!)
• After Dennis shot his buck, he realized he did not have a knife (Darren and Tyler had them). His son, Ethan, however was "prepared"...Dennis gutted his deer with a 2inch pocket knife! and then skinned it with a razor blade Dean had randomly put in his car before he headed out the previous day.

(Dennis and Darren with the deer)

Well I think that covers all the high points...other than that, Dean enjoyed himself and came home exhausted. A lot of prayers were said and answered this weekend. This experience is a perfect example of how although our lives may be filled with trials and bumps in the road, the Lord provides a way to overcome them...we just have to ask!

I heard Dean tell his father on the phone that he is going to start putting in every year for deer...we'll see what his wonderful wife thinks of that!