Caribbean in WV?

Yes folks, you heard right.  I think I'm falling in love with West Virginia despite what I originally thought of it.  I guess the only thing I knew was this joke....How do you know that the tooth brush was invented in West Virginia?   Answer: Because if it was invented anywhere else it would have been called a "teeth" brush.  I know, so funny.   Anyway, West Virginia is absolutely beautiful and every time we go down there for an outdoor adventure we are amazed at it's natural beauty and variety.

 Do you see Justin way up there?

This is where we went last weekend.  It's called Summersville Lake and the water is super warm and the lake is pretty clear so we snorkeled, did deep water solo rock climbing, kayaked, paddle boarded and played on the beach with the kids and our friends.  We even camped on a super sloped site with tons of neighbors and bathrooms/showers just to be near this lake(which I didn't use more than once.  That's part of the fun of camping-- no showers or toilets) I think this lake is owned by the Army Core of Engineers or something because it's totally undeveloped and you can't even rent a speed boat at this lake even though you can bring your own.  This limits the amount of people on the lake and we felt like we had it all to ourselves on our little pontoon boat.

We also checked out river rafters on New River Gorge and drove across what was until just recently the longest steel suspension bridge in the world.  From 1977 until 2003 it was the longest and highest bridge of it's kind in the world but France and China built some others that broke the record, but it's still up there in the top few and was pretty spectacular to see and drive across.

Our friends Christi and Dave were with us and Christi's parents joined up with us for a day and half which was wonderful because they watched the kids while we had some fun(for the first time in so long for me!)  It was a slightly painful drive but we hope to return next spring, hopefully with our other friend's speedboat!

Drama I didn't ask for

Today was a wild day.  I took my kids to my friend's house to watch while I took a scuba diving course in the morning/early afternoon and then I came back to Gulzat's house to be at a discussion with the missionaries who got lost and never showed up, then Henry wanted to go to soccer practice, but wouldn't participate (like last time) because the shirts Stef made weren't blue and then the missionaries showed up an hour and a half after they said they would and asked if they could come tomorrow, which I can hardly do because I have my other half of the course tomorrow and have to go to Costco to get diapers and food for my friend who just had a baby today.  Then I took my kids home, got some food, rushed out the door to get some gardening supplies for the YW activity tonight, buy a new charger for my portable DVD player (that still doesn't work) and pick up my CSA(community supported agriculture) box(vegetables are taking over my fridge) and while turning to get on the freeway I ran into the curb(around an illegally parked car) and shredded my tire and had to wait for Justin to arrive to help me.  While I was waiting, another woman did the exact same thing I did and she held my baby while I searched for her spare tire and tried undoing the lug nuts, which we couldn't do and many passing homeless men and strangers asked to help, the most notable was a drunk, one legged black man who had just gotten out of the hospital from having three stents put in his heart driving a power chair.  He was bouncing up and down on the wrench with his only good leg trying to get it to budge with no luck.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  One homeless man kept asking me for money and I gave him the hamburger I bought for Justin since I was out of food, except for raw vegetables, and my kids were screaming to be let out of the car on a busy street with drunks everywhere.  Then another drunk man came by and said he knew someone with a tow truck who could help us and he loosened the nuts for us for free.  Yea!  While I was out of the car, Henry and Bea destroyed my car with chicken nuggets and ketchup. Justin finally got there, I transferred all my stuff and the kids to his car, rushed up to the church while Bea was torturing the baby until she was screaming her lungs out and did my gardening activity with the YW and then I came home, gave my dirty kids a bath, put them to bed and I've been studying for my scuba class until one in the morning and I have to wake up in 5 hours.