Since it's Pioneer Day and all, I thought I'd finally blog about our Trek experience. In detail. I've said it was awesome and amazing, but here are the parts that made it so!
I lobbied to go on Trek almost since the day we moved in 3 years ago. I talked to everybody who might even remotely be involved with Trek and made sure they knew I wanted to go. I would scoop poop. I'd be on the food committee. I would do whatever. I never thought we would actually get to be a Ma and Pa--which is the most supreme job ever! We almost didn't get to go (there was a miscommunication around the time we received our call), but we did! And I'm so glad!!
We prepped for weeks. Spent way too much money. Prayed and planned and crafted and thought. I teamed up with some great other ladies to do some additional planning, and then, it was here!
We dropped our kidlets off at my mom's Wednesday night to have a chance to finish up preparations. We got most everything in 4 totes and 2 buckets. We were able to get to bed by midnight and were at the church the next morning at 5:30. We had a quick adult pow-wow, then gathered in wards to head up to Deseret Land and Livestock.
We made the short drive in quick time and got checked in and unloaded. Family assignments were given out (I actually had a nervous pit in my stomach!) and we were suddenly a family! All along we had been told that family assignments were made prayerfully and with the Spirit, and boy! Do I believe it. Mike and I got the exact family we needed and judging from the conversations I have had with the youth they all believe it too!
We took off from the parking lot and carted 10ish miles on day one. We stopped for lunch halfway through the day and enjoyed some shorter breaks. We carried our water on our cart, along with our snacks and treats and buckets. Our sleeping gear was taken to the our campsite each day by a big trailer. We chatted and laughed and played games. Some of the kids flirted. ;) We learned how TOUGH our family was (we had one boy who has cerebral-palsy and a girl who had had MAJOR leg surgery earlier in the year). These kids didn't stop once. And I can honestly say I didn't hear one word of complaint from them! Blisters came. Sore feet started. We were hot and tired. But it was great!
We made camp the first day and figured out how to make our two tarps become shelter. We had some family time, enjoyed yummy dinner and had a fireside. We were the lame family who went to bed early and woke up last. We had rain during the night, but our tarps held up and there was almost no wind. I have never slept so well camping in my life.
Day two was our long day. We hiked just over 11 miles days two, and this included the women's pull (which the Stake President later said was the toughest, steepest, and longest women's pull they have done in 4 Treks). It was hotter day 2, with less wind and A LOT more dust. It was everywhere by the time we stopped for the women's pull. Nuts. All day long people had been fretting about the women's pull and I was questioning the reasons for doing it--was it worth the stress? But, after listening to the youth--boys and girls alike--talk about the pull after it was over, there is no doubt that it is worth it. I would feel comfortable saying the the women's pull was the single most impactful event of the whole Trek. Tears and chills all around.
It was tough. It was hot. There were two times where I was quite sure I was going to pass out. We had 5 girls receive IV's after it was over. But the women's pull was so worth it.
We made camp day two and got everything set up. We had dinner and then a storm rolled in. We all hunkered down (after fixing the blown apart shelters) and had some great family time. We gathered in prayer to ask for safety and we served other families. We played a lot of mafia! :)
The rain dried up and we had a hoe-down. So. Much. Fun! A real-life square dance caller and all. Most everyone participated and for an hour or two, sore feet and legs were forgotten.
We enjoyed testimony meetings in our wards after the hoedown and felt the Spirit--and the cold! :) We were a bit nervous about sleeping and hoped to stay dry, and once again prayers were answered and we were warm and comfortable.
Day three we hiked roughly 8 miles back to our cars. We walked through cow pies--both old and fresh--until I stopped paying attention. My kids all walked the whole way day 3--despite sore legs and feet. It was hot. However, the feeling we got coming over the final hill and seeing the end made everything worth it. It was awesome!
My Dad asked me what my favorite part was. I don't know what my favorite part was exactly, but I love being in a place where I can hopefully help to facilitate experiences that will change lives. It wasn't churchy-churchy-churchy every minute, but there were powerful moments that changed lives. It was being there to hear a YW say, after the women's pull, that she had decided that marrying a righteous priesthood holder was the only thing for her--that she would be married in the temple. It was being there to watch one YW reach out to a shy, quiet YW in a moment when she was lonely. It was watching a limping 'son' walked from family to family to help in the rain. It was giving a hug to a 'daughter' in tears cuz she was so spent after the women's pull. It was working together, just 5 of us, to pull a heavy handcart to the top of a hill. It was talking about pioneers. It was sharing experiences with the youth AND with Mike. It was seeings tears on the face of a studly young man. It was tons of little moments that made Trek so awesome--tons of little moments that will be forever in my memory. Tons of little moments that made me SO GLAD we were blessed to go, and tons of those little moments that have me already lobbying to go again.
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