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Trek Day 4:

This was my favorite day!  The spirit was so strong!  I don't know if I was just ready to be done or sad that it was almost over, but I felt so many emotions today.  We were the last of three companies to leave camp so we had almost two hours to hang out at camp.  I pulled out my nice camera and had fun taking pictures of everyone.  I took 144 picture but am only posting a few :) We walked about 4 1/2 miles today, stopped for a vignette from our stake president and then had a silent walk the last 1/2 mile.  During this walk we walked past a praying young Joseph Smith, Joseph and Oliver translating the golden plates, pioneers, listened to President Monson's talk on the age change for missionaries, missionaries in the field and missionaries teaching a discussion.  We walked through a pathway of flags from every country and then gathered to listen to our Stake Patriarch teach us about the future.  I loved his talk and felt my father during this time as his calling was Stake Patriarch at the time of his death.  

Still in silence each boy carried their trek sisters across the river (man-made).  It too was very touching, every sister made it across dry as their trek brothers took their responsibility very serious.  I loved watching Z carry three of his sister across.  M had to sit this one out with his hand.  When all of the children crossed, the Pa's carried their wives across, including Jim and I.  It was so sweet and his back held up.  As we entered the parking lot to finish our trek we were welcomed by primary children singing to us.  They were all dressed in white t-shirts and looked like angels.  B girl was among them and again my emotions took over.  So much that I didn't think to take a picture.  

I know photographers took pictures of them and Jim carrying me across the river.  When I receive them I will post them as well.  

I have been looking forward to this experience for a long time and feel so blessed to have been a part of it.  Our trek children are amazing youth.  I loved getting to know each one of them and grew to love them.  They will be amazing missionaries, mothers, dads, and adults.  My life is better because of them. 

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Trek Day 3: Walked about 5 miles, beautiful day, endured the women's pull (my trek daughters rocked!), set up camp in a pasture of cow pies, enjoyed shredded chicken sandwiches for dinner, listened to a great devotional with the entire stake with Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Seventy and his wife.  We then met as a ward family for our testimony meeting.  We have some amazing youth and I was impressed and touched by their testimonies.  

 Taking a little break

Testimony meeting

 While we were Trekking, this buddy was tearing it up in Denver at the Worlds!  He was so excited to meet the Thompson brothers and have them sign his sock.

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Trek Day 2:

I think the lack of sleep was catching up to Z, so he took advantage a little nap during lunch.

We walked about 11 miles, were attacked by Indians, Jim's blister popped, set up our tents just before the wind, rain, thunder and lighting hit.  Ate dinner of a pot roast, carrots, mashed potatoes, and rolls in our tent as a Trek family. Then we played games and had another family devotional in our tent.  It rained until about midnight.  Some of the youth's tents were flooded and they were soaked.  It was a hard day but a great day.  I felt a great love for our pioneers today.

M hanging in there!  We made sure his hand was wrapped to prevent infection.  He was a trooper!

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Our first day of Trek!  Jim and the boys landed from Boston at 10:30 a.m. and met me at the church.  M went to his Surgery appointment with Grandma and B met with friends and drove straight to Denver for another lacrosse tournament.  

Day 1 of Trek: Walked about 5 miles, stopped for a couple vignettes, set up our tents in the rain, ate Cafe Rio salads, square danced, and had our family devotional before bed.  We had M sleep in our tent with us so we could give him his medications.  

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Sorry for the gross picture.  This happened today in Boston! The day before Trek.  M with his open fracture from a lacrosse game - going for a ground ball and getting Tomahawk chopped!

I spend hours on the phone with the nurses and doctors in Boston and here.  They did not want to clear him for Trek in fear of a bone infection.  I feel we were blessed with several miracles and decided that M would attend Trek.  He flew home from Boston on the 9th, went straight to the plastic surgeon's and after surgery my mom brought him out to Trek to join the rest of us.  He was such a trooper and so many people took great care of him.  Hopefully he remembers some of Trek.  

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Another day preparing for trek.  We made a stop at Scheels and had to ride the Ferris Wheel together!  She has been my best bud these last few days.

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This Ma spent the evening preparing for Trek devotionals

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Now that it is just me and B Girl, I have a lot to do to get prepared for next week.

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For the 4th of July we celebrated at a family BBQ.  With Pink in Montana and my boys in Boston it was just me and B Girl, very weird.  My sister and her family were in town so we joined them at my niece's home.  B Girl had a hayday with my camera.  These are my favorites of her images!  

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 It has been a crazy couple of days trying to get these boys ready for their Boston trip and Trek as soon as they get back.  But they are finally off!

Best of luck with lacrosse and the humidity.

When I texted Jim to get pictures of the boys, he texted Z and told him to look back so he could take a picture for mom's blog.  LOVE IT!

 After they left, my sweet mother came over to help me clean up the tornado left behind.

Thanks mom :)

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A trip downtown to watch the Joseph Smith movie.  A Trek preparation goal.  

The church is true! Thank you Joseph & Hyrum

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Her best friend's birthday party today!

She even gave her a best friends necklace.

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A day of preparation!  Trek is just around the corner.

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Oh what a bag of cups can do! Hours and hours of entertainment.

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As all the cousins headed home, I spent the day watching 8 of the 10 games at a local lacrosse tournament.  

The game I missed was the championship game and game winning brother to brother goal at the last second.  So sad I missed it, but so happy for them.