Chilly North Shore Hike

Mrs. Beaver:

We just returned from a few days in Minnesota on the North Shore of Lake Superior. While there, we were refreshed by the opportunity to hike several times.

Sisters Natasha (11), Amy (9) and Oksana (7)

On the first day we were greeted by typically cold late November temperatures in the northern part of this northern state.

The frigid weather didn't phase Oksana. Mr. Beaver and I marvel at what a happy, trusting child she has grown into during this first year since her adoption from Russia. We've been privileged to watch as the Lord has done much healing in her shriveled soul since she joined our family. On this outing, Oksana skipped from rock to rock, her smile continuous.

Our oldest daughter, Anna, and her husband, Aaron, traveled about 16 hours to spend the week with us. We reveled in every moment we were able to be together!

We had heard from her that Aaron enjoys hiking, but this was our first chance to enjoy the great outdoors with our new son-by-marriage. His smile was as broad as Oksana's, but I suspect the reason was pleasure at having his first break in his position as a computer programmer since their honeymoon in March.

Just before we traveled, we shopped for warm clothing. Our silly Daria fell in love with a polar bear hat that extended all the way in to "mittens" with their own bear pattern. Natasha's choice in head ware was a lime-green-and-turquoise-striped polar bear.

On the day following this hike we celebrated the first anniversary of the adoption of Daria, Alexander and Oksana. All week Mr. Beaver and I experienced a heightened sense of how incredibly God has blessed us in allowing us to parent these three remarkable children, in addition to our other nine blessings.

As the hike neared its end, I caught Daria and her Dad as they paused during a deep conversation.

The end point of our hike was the town of Two Harbor's light house. We finished cold, but oh-so happy to have had fun and fellowship time with our favorite people--family!