The Adair Family
The Eagar Family
Milligan Valley Ward
How exciting that Mylee got to come!
I have been trying to get caught up on my blogging so that I could get to this post!
It all started when I was asked by Bishop Hamblin if I would like to be an "adult participant" for the Trek in June. I instantly felt excited since I was married when they had done the first Trek in 1995. My sister had gone on the first Trek and her stories were so neat! When I came home and told Justin he laughed and said, "I will be in Albuquerque while you are on the Trek for Jeff's fight." Soon after he asked, "I wonder why they haven't asked me to go?" It wasn't a couple days later that Elwin Browning asked him if he would like to go. I took him a few days to decide but he finally told Elwin that he would do it.
Anytime the Trek was talked about, everyone loved to tell you their horror stories about it. I started to worry that I couldn't do it. If I thought it, I worried about it! By the middle of May I was just ready to go! Shae and I had a lot of fun finding our Trek dresses. Justin knew everything we needed and did a great job getting all of us equipped. He ordered us boots 2 months earlier so that we could get them broke in. I just wanted to wear my old favorite Nikes. Justin would come home from work everyday and ask us, "did you wear your boots today?" I wore them to shop in the valley one day and thought I would die! When it came time to go I knew that I wasn't getting out of wearing those boots!
We arrived at the church on Friday June 4th at 7 am after we had pigged out at Safire for breakfast. We took pictures and they had a pancake breakfast for everyone. We carpooled up to Nutrioso, behind the Cemetery. There we were separated into our families, took pictures, played a name game, and assembled and loaded our wagons. We lined up and off we went! Looking back now I think of how excited and ready all of us were to get started not knowing what we had in front of us. The trail started right off, straight up hill. It topped out and turned and straight up hill again. Once we reached the top it touched me how some of the boys would run back to other families to help them get up the hill. It was a really hot day and water was rationed. When we started to walk again, I found myself being envious of the Pioneers. They were so close to their Heavenly Father because they relied on him for everything! I thought how my life is so loud sometimes I drowned him out or I think I can handle whatever comes my way. What an intense love and respect you feel for your Pioneer ancestors when you walk a few miles in their shoes. That day seamed hotter than normal and I had never felt thirst like that before. Justin would let me drink from his cup which was such a blessing! By late that afternoon, everyone was getting tired. Some of boys that had pulled the whole time passed up water so that we would have enough to get to camp. They stopped us and gave us a cup of broth and a roll and spirits started to rise. We had energy and were ready to pull again. When we left from that spot they told us to pull in silence and when they gave the sign to have the boys quit helping and the girls pulled by themselves. Our boys would help us by leading us, moving rocks out of our way, and by carrying heavy bags that were on the wagon. When we got to the top of hill, we took a break. The kids started singing "Come, Come Ye Saints" and " A Child's Prayer." Tears rolled from my eyes. We treked on and at first seemed like we could trek all night! Not long after that the wagon would stop and everyone would drop on the ground to rest. We could hear people screaming up in front of us and we knew we had finally made it to camp. I was to tired to even eat and so glad to sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground.
The next morning I woke up to Justin sitting next to me. It made both of us sad to know that we would not be in the same family but he took such good care of Shae and I in spite of that. He would roll my sleeping bag and lace my boots. We had blue cornmeal mush for breakfast and it actually wasn't that bad. Elwin told a short story that had all of us in tears. We packed up and treked into "base camp". The trail was lined with people clapping and cheering for us! We got to set up camp and eat an orange and a roll. Each family took a turn at different activities. We pulled taffy, the ax throw, beheading a chicken, muzzle loaders, dancing, and washing your hair in the stream. We returned to camp and made dinner as a family. We made a chicken stew and we tried to make rolls in a dutch oven. After dinner we had a "fireside" where each family did a skit, Bro. Finch gave a talk, and the "Pony Express" road in on a team of horses carrying bags of letters for each of us. We stayed up late that night, sitting around the campfire, talking and laughing.
The next day was Sunday which meant we got to change our clothes. We had cracked wheat for breakfast. We met with two other families in an open field. We did the scavenger hung. This activity was the one thing that had the most impact on Justin. Afterwards we met for Relief Society, then Sunday School where Shae had to give a talk. We were then allowed to grab our sack lunches of apples and jerky and head off to our "solo" time. Justin and I spent our time talking with our feet in the stream. That evening we had family home evening and pausey stew for dinner. Sacrament was fast & testimony meeting.
Monday morning we had oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar. We picked up camp and got our wagons loaded. We all took more family pictures and treked out. Elwin stopped us so that we could kneel for a group prayer thanking Heavenly Father for our safety on the trek. When we reached the end of the trail there was people on both sides of the trek clapping and cheering us in.
I am so grateful for the experiences that I had on the trek. Oh and those boots Justin made me wear..thanks babe! There are to many things to put into words because they have to be felt. I came home with a different prospective of my life and a stronger testimony! I am grateful for the Adair family and for my wonderful brothers & sisters. What example they were to me! The strength of our youth is truly amazing!
It all started when I was asked by Bishop Hamblin if I would like to be an "adult participant" for the Trek in June. I instantly felt excited since I was married when they had done the first Trek in 1995. My sister had gone on the first Trek and her stories were so neat! When I came home and told Justin he laughed and said, "I will be in Albuquerque while you are on the Trek for Jeff's fight." Soon after he asked, "I wonder why they haven't asked me to go?" It wasn't a couple days later that Elwin Browning asked him if he would like to go. I took him a few days to decide but he finally told Elwin that he would do it.
Anytime the Trek was talked about, everyone loved to tell you their horror stories about it. I started to worry that I couldn't do it. If I thought it, I worried about it! By the middle of May I was just ready to go! Shae and I had a lot of fun finding our Trek dresses. Justin knew everything we needed and did a great job getting all of us equipped. He ordered us boots 2 months earlier so that we could get them broke in. I just wanted to wear my old favorite Nikes. Justin would come home from work everyday and ask us, "did you wear your boots today?" I wore them to shop in the valley one day and thought I would die! When it came time to go I knew that I wasn't getting out of wearing those boots!
We arrived at the church on Friday June 4th at 7 am after we had pigged out at Safire for breakfast. We took pictures and they had a pancake breakfast for everyone. We carpooled up to Nutrioso, behind the Cemetery. There we were separated into our families, took pictures, played a name game, and assembled and loaded our wagons. We lined up and off we went! Looking back now I think of how excited and ready all of us were to get started not knowing what we had in front of us. The trail started right off, straight up hill. It topped out and turned and straight up hill again. Once we reached the top it touched me how some of the boys would run back to other families to help them get up the hill. It was a really hot day and water was rationed. When we started to walk again, I found myself being envious of the Pioneers. They were so close to their Heavenly Father because they relied on him for everything! I thought how my life is so loud sometimes I drowned him out or I think I can handle whatever comes my way. What an intense love and respect you feel for your Pioneer ancestors when you walk a few miles in their shoes. That day seamed hotter than normal and I had never felt thirst like that before. Justin would let me drink from his cup which was such a blessing! By late that afternoon, everyone was getting tired. Some of boys that had pulled the whole time passed up water so that we would have enough to get to camp. They stopped us and gave us a cup of broth and a roll and spirits started to rise. We had energy and were ready to pull again. When we left from that spot they told us to pull in silence and when they gave the sign to have the boys quit helping and the girls pulled by themselves. Our boys would help us by leading us, moving rocks out of our way, and by carrying heavy bags that were on the wagon. When we got to the top of hill, we took a break. The kids started singing "Come, Come Ye Saints" and " A Child's Prayer." Tears rolled from my eyes. We treked on and at first seemed like we could trek all night! Not long after that the wagon would stop and everyone would drop on the ground to rest. We could hear people screaming up in front of us and we knew we had finally made it to camp. I was to tired to even eat and so glad to sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground.
The next morning I woke up to Justin sitting next to me. It made both of us sad to know that we would not be in the same family but he took such good care of Shae and I in spite of that. He would roll my sleeping bag and lace my boots. We had blue cornmeal mush for breakfast and it actually wasn't that bad. Elwin told a short story that had all of us in tears. We packed up and treked into "base camp". The trail was lined with people clapping and cheering for us! We got to set up camp and eat an orange and a roll. Each family took a turn at different activities. We pulled taffy, the ax throw, beheading a chicken, muzzle loaders, dancing, and washing your hair in the stream. We returned to camp and made dinner as a family. We made a chicken stew and we tried to make rolls in a dutch oven. After dinner we had a "fireside" where each family did a skit, Bro. Finch gave a talk, and the "Pony Express" road in on a team of horses carrying bags of letters for each of us. We stayed up late that night, sitting around the campfire, talking and laughing.
The next day was Sunday which meant we got to change our clothes. We had cracked wheat for breakfast. We met with two other families in an open field. We did the scavenger hung. This activity was the one thing that had the most impact on Justin. Afterwards we met for Relief Society, then Sunday School where Shae had to give a talk. We were then allowed to grab our sack lunches of apples and jerky and head off to our "solo" time. Justin and I spent our time talking with our feet in the stream. That evening we had family home evening and pausey stew for dinner. Sacrament was fast & testimony meeting.
Monday morning we had oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar. We picked up camp and got our wagons loaded. We all took more family pictures and treked out. Elwin stopped us so that we could kneel for a group prayer thanking Heavenly Father for our safety on the trek. When we reached the end of the trail there was people on both sides of the trek clapping and cheering us in.
I am so grateful for the experiences that I had on the trek. Oh and those boots Justin made me wear..thanks babe! There are to many things to put into words because they have to be felt. I came home with a different prospective of my life and a stronger testimony! I am grateful for the Adair family and for my wonderful brothers & sisters. What example they were to me! The strength of our youth is truly amazing!
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