Scott and I got to be a ma and pa on trek this year. I really wanted to go 4 years ago when they went but I was having complications with my pregnancy and they wouldn't let me go. Scott went as an uncle and had a great time. This year I was going! I was even willing to do sanitation if that was the only way to go. We were assigned to be a ma and pa and I was ecstatic. Then I started having trouble with my hip and knee. It wasn't going to stop me though. I went to the Dr. and started physical therapy. Unfortunately that seemed to aggravate things. Back in to the Dr. and they decided I needed to have surgery. I decided to schedule it for after trek. As the month went by it became more and more painful to walk and I started thinking that maybe this was a sign that I shouldn't go. Scott and I discussed it and prayed about it and felt like we were supposed to be a ma and pa and that things would work out. Scott bought me some walking sticks and we were set.
The only picture I have of us!
In a minute we were the proud parents of 10 teenagers!
I was grateful when I realized that I was not the only person with walking sticks. There ended up being three of us that had to use them all the time. It was nice to have company.
When we left President
Geary informed us that our family would be in charge of the rickshaw(a fancy handcart with a padded seat). He had gotten it for him having had surgery on his knee just a few months before with various complications. He also said that it was for me just in case. I was determined not to use it unless I absolutely had to. I think that Heavenly Father saw it as an opportunity to humble me. I lasted about a 1.5 miles before my hip gave out and I couldn't walk anymore. I was afraid that the kids would be frustrated to have to pull me but they were so sweet. Every day I woke with a determination to not end up in the rickshaw and every day I spent a good deal of time in it. It think it ended up to be about 50/50.
The day of the Women's pull 2 of our girls where not able to pull due to heath issues. I didn't want to leave my girls to pull alone so I decided to pull. It was a lot harder than I thought. I was completely focused on simply getting up the hill and didn't even realize we were at the top until Scott wrapped me in his arms. I looked around and people were crying and hugging and I realized that I had missed it. I was so intent on just making it through that I missed the experience. As we continued on I realized that I often find myself in that
predicament. I made it through the trial but I failed to look up and learn from my trails.
Last time Scott went he was in charge of putting together some pioneer games. He put a ton of work into them but they ran out of time. This year he brought them along again and we had a blast.
By the end of the week I loved my crazy teenagers as if they were my own. I am so grateful for the opportunity we had to go. It is an experience I will never forget.
