Trek Pictures

Sending Your Children Away...

We've known that our oldest two daughters were leaving on a Pioneer trek for months now. But we have been busy with end of the year stuff, Girls Camp and a family vacation. So here we are last night at 1:30 in the morning (only because they HAD TO GO to the Jonas Brothers concert) packing last minute items. They had their list, and I had bought all I could buy. I followed them around making sure they had everything. Of course they could have packed earlier, but well, let's face it some do, some don't. But now they are off on their excursion. Something they have never done before, wearing strange looking clothes in California weather and especially in our day and time. Paul said they looked like they were in a cult as they got out of the car this morning, thank goodness it was so early in the morning. Their costumes were hand made with love and are absolutely beautiful. I hated to send them off in the dirt with them. I have thought of my two daughters through out the day and worried a bit. "Are they tired?" Of course! "Are they eating well?" There is no way to even contact them. So, is this not much like sending them off on their own? At the last minute we scramble so concerned that we have prepared them well. Worrying does us no good, they have been trained and prepared all leading up to this event. No one could really prepare them for this. I didn't even know what they were getting themselves into, I could only imagine. I just trust those who are watching over them will take good care of them and I will enjoy the quiet while I worry just little. I know this will be a learning experience for all. I know the time will soon come when I will really be sending them off on their life journey and I worry if I have prepared them well. Have I packed their bags with essentials tools to survive on their own? Are they grounded enough in who they are and their relationship with their Heavenly Father? Did they pack enough courage, confidence, wisdom, strength, obedience etc. It seems I have much more to concern myself with then socks and bug spray. As the Beatles sang "IT WON'T BE LONG," pretty soon it will be the night before and I don't want to be up all hours of the night preparing for their departure. I think I better get some rest before they come home! I have a lot of work to do! If you would like to see pictures of the Trek click on "Tammy" under friends to the right. -----May have asked what happened on the trek?? How did they do. Fabulous I might say. Chelsea tried to drink as much water as possible and follow all the advice to keep from getting sick and ended up with Altitude Sickness the first night. The following morning she tried to tough it out and they ended up keeping her back at camp with the EMT. She laid there sick all day and finally got to come home about 10pm. As soon as she got out of the car who brought her home I could see her face was not right and she was really sick...although her eyes her stunning with all the mascara she managed to get on out in the middle of no where. She was so sad to leave her friends and send them away to continue their Journey but she was sick for three days. Now Alyssa prepared also as Chelsea did but she survived the extreme altitude and then some. Reports came back that she never let go of the cart, never complained, and kept up with the boys. So I guess I prepared them better than I thought! It was an unforgetable experience for all!

Lake Berryessa

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If you would like to see more pictures click on "Tammy" under friends to the right.