Terry does the Tango. . .

So we're on the now-annual Turner family vacation. One of the last activities we did together was to raft down the Provo river. Totally awesome. We took Ava and Lily and left Audrey and Turner and Campbell back at the hotel with Nana. None of us really know what is going to happen, how fast the river flows, how low the temperature of the water, etc. We finally found our way into the awkward parking lot at a bend in the canyon and settled in for a long wait, we arrived a little late for our initial time slot. A few of us walked over to "Vivian" park, a park named after one of our great-great grandmothers, to go potty. We have some races on the green grass, knock each other around, tell some jokes, etc. The weather is fantastic, blue skies and warm air.

Finally, we've been fitted for our life jackets and we are just waiting to be taken up in their ginormous ( I have never actually written out that word- it scares me a little bit) van with our raft attached. Right as I have just gathered my children up around me for the 19th time, the river is flowing deeply and quickly, my Dad taps me on the shoulder and motions for me to take a few steps backward. What's up, I nod. "Jen, I'm going to go up a few hundred feet, get in the river and float downstream. I'm going to act like some drowning person and you point me out to the kids. It will really get them. . ." he whispers, and begins walking up the mountain. "Wait!!!," I whisper. He's already out of earshot. Oh my gosh. I giggle a little bit to myself. Here I have a secret, which makes me nervous and red and blotchy already, and. . . "WAAAIIITTTTT!!!!!" I yell inside my head. He's going to drown. He has pulled stunts like this my whole life. . . but what if he underestimates the pull of the river. . . the temperature. . . he's a little older than probably the last time he dove into a deep river. . ."WWAAAAAAIIIIITTTTT!!!! . . .all in my mind. . .the anxiety drives me to pacing back and forth. . .the hilarity makes my stomach rumble with exitement. . . when, suddenly. . . "OOOKKKKAAAYYYY, Turner party, time to come and get on the van. Right now, its time to go NNNNOOOOWWWW!"

Oh, no. Oh, no. Everyone promptly turns and almost jaunts towards the van. Aaaa. . . Jon, he's the last one walking. "Jon, come here, " I'm looking up the river. NO sign of Terry. It has been close to five, or maybe ten, minutes. How long has it been? Oh my gosh. He's dead. I'm sure he slipped on the banks just trying to get in. . . because he was thinking how funny it was going to be. . . he broke his leg and went into shock. . . but couldn't yell because the river was so freezing cold that it froze his body into a statue and right before he floated passed us, I blinked. . . and nobody else knew of his scheme and so nobody else was looking. . . they're all sitting in the van, ready to drive up the mountain anyway. . . and Terry is doing the torture tango on his way down the rocky river. . .

"Jon, Dad is in the river!" "What do you mean??" "Dad wanted to pull a joke, went up the mountain, got in the river, I think, to float down, pretend to be drowning, funny. . .really funny. . . but now every is gone and I can't even see him. . ." "What, whawhat?" "Dad is. . . there he is!!!!!" May I just say that Jon and I giggled, we actually had a really nice, deep giggle and I'll always be grateful for that. That awesome, confused look on his face. Just Jon and me. "Dad, Dad stand up. . . no one's here. . . its time to go get in the van." "What happened?" "Come on." Jon helps him out of the river. "Its time to go get in the van, they're kind of mad. They've been waiting. . ." Jon giggles. I just lose it. . . Terry approaches the van, sopping wet. "What the crap, Dad. . . where have you been? These guys are kind of upset. . . and why are you all wet?" says Jared. "I tried to. . . I was going to. . . make a. . . make a joke." Jenni and Jon can't speak. Our laughter overcomes us. Everyone else is just totally and completely confused. That was awesome and I will never forget that funny, funny joke. Thanks, Dad.