Wilderness Trip-Finale

Finally getting around to writing this blog.  Yeah!!!  Well, we made the long drive to the first camping spot for the night.  We hiked up hill for about 30 minutes to a spot on the top of a ridge and camped there for the night.  When we got set up, the kids and I layed on the ground and just looked up in the sky at all the stars.  It was tempting to sleep there all night but, I will admit, I was a little scared.  It stormed that night and was pretty windy.  I think I had a rock in my back the whole night, but we made it.  We got up early the next morning, ate, took down the tents, and headed back down the mountain.  (The kids had to do all of the work without help from us. EX: cooking, putting up tents, reading the map)  We drive to the area where we will be starting out journey.  It is a hill/mountain side and it is straight up.  It really does not seem THAT BIG when you are looking up, but once you start to climb with a 45 pound backpack strapped on you feel as thought you will tip over at any minute and go tumbling down the hill.  I was pretty scared, and yes, I cried half way up the hill.  Telling myself, don't look down, just don't look down.  As soon as we got up the hill the kids where supposed to go up and to the left.  Well, instead they go DOWN.  Really, down, NOOOOOOO.  But, JJ and I can not say a word, we just look at each other with tears in our eyes and head down.  It was very challenging for the kids to make decisions because they all ahd to agree on the direction we would go.  How often do we make things more challenging in our own lives than it has to be by just not following directions?  We went down the mountain on the other side for a ways before the kids decided we needed to walk back up the mountain.  We probably climed about 2000 feet up hill.  It was very challenging and I often wondered if I would be able to continue.  The point is to find the trail.  We make it to the top and it starts to sprinkle.  What a nice and welcome surprise as we are hot.  We are all almost out of water and we need to eat.  So at the top of the mountain we break for lunch and a rest and head back on our way.  After a few more wrong turns, we head UP HILL again.  Maybe another 500 feet?  felt like 5000 feet.  We are all out of water and I am dying....not really but was scared I might.  Terry and I find bear scat that is pretty fresh.  (Lord, please don't let a bear attack right now, I can not run)  We finally find the trail....Kiss the ground and head down hill to a river.  (We will have to go back UP the Trail tomorrow)  We get to water, pump water and set up camp.  I am so tired but it is so hard for me to sleep on the hard ground.  Tha nk God I brought my little pillow.  It was worth carrying.  For dinner we made roman noodles with canned chicken and potatoe flakes.  get up the next morning and pacl up only to head back UP HILL.  2 different teens where leaders each day but at least now we where on a trail with some guidance.  (the trail splits off at times and you have to make a decision which one to take.)  We hike all day till we get to the next camping spot.  We had times where we stoped to enjoy a little stream or a bathroom break in a sport there where nice big leaves.  The third day we are happy to be closer to our destination.  It is awesome that we can all be in the woods for that long, that close and we had no major arguments or dissagreaments.  I am amazed.  The kids did awesome and I was so proud of them.  I did well except the times the trail was a little thin and you could see straight down the mountain on the other side.  I walked really close to the mountain side and scrunched low.  LOL  The 4th ngiht we made it back to our original camping spot and it rained.  the girls tent had a hole in it and my sleeping bag got soaked.  So, like the girls we are, we went and slept in the van at the bottom of the mountain.  That next morning we went river rafting in Colorado Springs.  it was awesome and the water was perfect for a first time trip.  we hit a few 4's but mostly they where all 3's.  After this we went to town and JJ and I arranged for pizza at a place called Pizza Madness.  What a nice reward after all we accomplished. Pizza never tasted so good after all the things we had eaten.  We then drove to a camp ground and set up camp there.  The next morning we got up and went to repel.  I am so scared just thinking about it but I really want to do this.  I want this experience.  We head up the mountain and get to the top of the rocky ridge and I am scared.  I can't go any further, I am cryhing so i hang my head low and head back down the mountain. (I was the first person on this trip to not do it :(  But the day before we drove across the ridge in colorado Springs and I was a mess.  I think terry new I was not gonna make it.)  All the kids did it and I was so proud of them.  then they had to do solos.  This is where we take them to the woods and they have to spend 24 hours by themself, fasting and with nothing but their bibles, paper and a sleeping bag and water.  Most of them stayed till dark but then a uge storm came in and all but one kids ended up coming in.  I was worried about Aaron but he did awesome and made it thru the night.  I was soooo proud of him.  During the whole trip we went over Phillipians.  I have to say, I was very excited to get back home and see  my family.  I missed them terribly.  It was great to get in the driveway and hear my kids yelling Mommy.  Would I do it again?  I am not sure.  I want my kids to experience it some day and i would like to say I could do it, but I will be like 40 something.....I did lose 9 pounds!!!!  I have alrady gained back 4 of those pounds.  LOL  All in all, I am glad I went.  I got to have some quiet time with my father and it was an experience most people never get to have.  I am greatful I got to do it.  I know there is so much that happened I am not writing here but if you even made it this far, I m proud of you.  haha