lake powell and my shiner

So, I had a little injury this weekend.  Just a little warning: semi-graphic pix to follow..

Late Thursday night, after Nicole + Blair's wedding, Me&Ry drove down to Page, AZ to meet the family at Lake Powell.  We were bummed that we weren't able to spend more time down there, but with work, school and the wedding, we were lucky to get away at all! 

We got out of town at midnight, 

and crashed on the houseboat around 5:00 a.m. 

Me&Ry sat up on top of the houseboat 

and watched the sun rise over the lake.. talk about gorgeous!

I fell asleep shortly after.

Later that afternoon, everyone piled on the boat for a run.

17 of us on one boat was not the most comfortable ride, 

so a bunch of the kids piled up on two tubes. 

There were so many of us, that we could barely keep the tubes afloat.  

All the expert riders started jumping back and forth between tubes.  It was really getting crazy out there.  I even said out loud that Ryan hates when I tube because I always end up hurt.  (will I ever listen?)
So, there we were, just tubing along, and I lost my grip.  I fell off the tube, was flying through the air and one of the boys fell off right after me.  His knee smacked right into my head, mid-fall!

I knew I was hurt, but I didn't realize how hurt.
I instantly started crying, which kind of surprised me.. but then I heard someone say I was bleeding..
That's why we wear life-jackets people! I literally just floated there.  The boys started pulling me to safety and Ry jumped in to save me.

Let's just say both of us were really scared.
The boat ride back felt really long.  I was really shaken up.  I just kept praying that I would not have to get stitches.  I even made Ry "swear" that I wouldn't need them.

Ryan and Lachelle took me to the urgent care in Page.  

The nurses said it was going to be a 3 hour wait, 

but my mother-in-law did a little convincing and got me in quicker.  :)

They took one look at the wound, and knew I needed stitches... 

I instantly started freaking out.

Seriously, freaking out.

I've never broken a bone, had a stitch, or been seriously hurt.. 

so this was kind of a big deal.

Quite a few shots, tears, and hand squeezes later, I was finished.

My eyelid now has 16 stitches!

six.teen.

They had to go into multiple layers of skin,  

and they said the opening is over 3 cm long!

Who knew a knee could do so much damage?

I'm just so happy I don't have any broken bones in my face, 

or any issue with my sight.

I'm so thankful that Ry stayed right by my side and let me squeeze his hand as hard as I could.  He said he couldn't look while they stitched me up, and that he was getting really queazy.  But, he stayed by me the whole time! <3

So, the rest of the trip, I wasn't able to go underwater..  bummer.

But, it was still fun hanging around the Skousen fam.  

We played games, made bracelets, ate delish food, etc.

And now, without further ado.. the evolution of my very first black eye...

In the chair right after they finished stitching me up

Later that night..

When we got home

...and today!

I'm still walking around campus with this thing.. It really is embarrassing.  I don't know what's worse... Looking like I got in a fight, or looking like a fool wearing sunglasses in the grocery store, 

at night!

Well, I get my stitches out tomorrow afternoon, and I'm hoping everything will be down-hill from there! 

I can't wait to shower like normal, and wash my entire face!

All in all, the trip was still really fun!  We love hanging out with Ry's family.. We can't wait to see everybody again.. hopefully soon!

It will definitely be a Lake Powell trip we will remember forever...