Lake Life

It is interesting how when you are a child and growing up, you have no foresight about how relationships and events have the possibility to shape your life.  Why will certain people come in and friendships will stick, and others may flow in and out, and leave but a trace memory? 

I could not have guessed, growing up in Indiana on a little street named Songbird Lane, that knowing a certain family across the street with three great girls, would have such a lasting and wonderful influence in my life.   But it has.  

The friendships were immediate.  As a child, sometimes I would vacation with their family at Lake Shafer.   They had a cottage there; Amy would ask me to come for the weekend.  We would boat and ski and be silly girls together.   I have such wonderful and vivid memories of these trips. 
 

So how ironic that some thirty years later, I would find myself with these same great girls—and their families--together again at a lake house, enjoying some fun times and creating some wonderful new memories.  Coming from Indianapolis, Atlanta and Cincinnati, we descended upon our full circle moment.  This time, not Lake Shafer, but Lake Barkley:

 

It has been over thirty-five years since my family of five moved into our house on Songbird Lane, and came to know their family of five. These were friendships that from the beginning, I believe, were destined to last.  

 

Our first day arriving at Lake Barkley---such excitement to all be together and begin the good times:

 

The next morning.....  The water was like glass. 

 
Lucy had her first experience fishing…….and loved it!

Worms!

Lots of silliness going on…..

We got caught on the dock in a rainstorm one afternoon.  Just as quickly as it came, it was gone.   So beautiful….

Bubbles on the deck at dusk:

 

Pontooning….

Lucy’s first moment out in the boat……She loved it!

We all did!

Brian was the first out on the tube….

 

I think he liked it!

Lucy’s first moment out on the tube……

“A little faster please……!”

She looooved it!  

Out tubing again……Getting more comfortable with it and liking it more and more, as you can tell from her face!

Captain Mike:

Out tubing again……She never wanted to go with Mom or Dad.  Always one of the girls!

Splash!!!  Lucy didn’t like this too much!

Getting tired at this point…..

Yours truly took a turn at it too……and I loooved it!

They were trying to throw me off…..

Amazing how childhood relationships can shape our lives?  Yes?  I can only pray that Lucy will develop the kind of lasting childhood friendships that I have been blessed to have.  Lord knows that if this group has anything to do with it, she will.