Getting up each morning was not easy, but seeing my dream unfold was what kept me going.  It was early April on a cool morning that first year, when my life almost came to an end.  Luke and Raccoon had gone trapping up the creek.  I had gone out early to check on Jency and the children.  Cutting across the still frozen creek, I turned up the path to head towards the trapper's cabin.  The ground was still covered with patches of snow, and many large trees has fallen down under the weight of the snow and ice.  I heard a cracking noise followed by a sound like thunder. That was the last thing I remembered until I woke up surrounded by Jency, my children, and my brother Luke.  It took me awhile to understand what had happened to me.  It seems as if the thunder sound I heard was a big tree falling down under the weight of the ice and snow.  My right arm was broken and my leg was crushed, but not broken.  The deep snow allowed my body to sink down or the weight of the trunk would have broken my  back.  With the help of my family, I would be able to heal.  This set back would cause us to remain living with Raccoon for the time being and delay the building of our cabin.  Thinking back now to that first winter, I remember how the family joined together to finally get the house under roof.  My leg healed up well and my arm got much better.  It seems as if that experience was really what made my family stronger.  We don’t get to see Raccoon that much because the hunting grounds have moved south.  Jency spends most of her time taking care of the young-ins, while my brother Luke and I have started working on the smoke house.  Winter gets rough but with a good fire in the hearth, venison and taters on the table, we will make it through.