Wednesday was the day we went to Martin's Cove. Toby and I decided to do things a little bit differently this day. Each group only had one handcart instead of 2 plus one extra for the group. We decided that our family, with our friend's the Snows were going to pull the extra handcart. They also had little kids so we decided to put our 2 and their youngest 2 kids in the cart together. They were so happy. They were sharing snacks and making up games. We put our bucket (were supposed to only bring one bucket this day. Our family condensed to one bucket and everyone else did too, but they also brought their coolers, their bag of extra shoes...) in the cart that our group was pulling so we were only pulling the kids. At this point, I will admit that I was emotionally ridiculous. I think being so tired affected how I handled things. The comments from the teenage boys in our group were rubbing me wrong. I was sick of hearing about how they hated hearing kids cry, making room for kids in the cart, and how they wished it was just a youth trek. Don't get me wrong, some of the teenagers were so amazing and we couldn't have done it without them, but some were just driving me crazy! This was one of the other reasons we decided to pull our own cart that day.
At Martin's cove, you have to leave your handcarts and walk a two mile loop up into the cove and back out again. We decided that this would be a good opportunity to let Zeke walk. I think I carried him about 200 feet and decided that was crazy and he could do this. At one point, one of my primary kids came and offered him a piggy back ride. It was humbling to watch him pick up my huge four year old and carry him on his back. He didn't make it very far, but I think it was one of those things that you won't forget. Zeke struggled on his hike. He is not my most energetic child. He hates walking and running unless he is tricked into it with a game. I am really proud of him for making it. We had some good talks about pioneer children as we walked together.
When we got back to our handcarts, a single adult in our ward decided that he couldn't walk anymore because he hurt his knee. This was no small guy either. He is taller than Toby and built bigger to...not too hard to do :) Well, we were told that we had to split our kids up and put them in other carts so that this guy could ride in the extra cart. Toby got stuck pulling him with the help of a couple other guys and I had to find places for my kids. I went up to my group and told them I need a spot and they told me there was no room. I told them to make room and brought Zeke up. haha, like I said, I wasn't being the most pleasant person at this point. I put Porter in another cart and started walking. It was hard having my family all split up and trying to make sure everyone was doing alright. I tried to grab our sandles out of our bucket before we crossed the Sweetwater, but my group practically ran me over. I crossed it with Zeke. I have no idea when Porter or Toby crossed but we made it to the other side. I did see one teenage boy go and pick his dad up and carry him across the water. It was pretty cool to see that.
Then it was time for the women's pull. All the men left to go up to the top of the ridge we would be pulling up. All the women got together for a little devotional. It was very spiritual and I was touched. When I say that, I mean that I was crying at this point. Right before the women's pull I decided I couldn't have my kids split up anymore so I put them in the same cart. Stupid Stupid Stupid! We were pushing up the first cart. It was very sandy with boulders sticking out throughout. I think there were 2 adults and 2 teenagers and 1 girl pushing our cart. I bawled the whole way up. To keep the spirit of the devotional, we were going to do our pull in silence. That's when my kids decided to start screaming and fighting. So pleasant. I lost it. I was so physically drained I could hardly move and emotionally exhausted. I don't know how we made it to the top. I think the cart behind us had to stop and help us up the last little part. I made it to the top and sat down and cried. I hear by about the 3rd cart there were indents in the sand where we put our feet so they didn't slide around like we did so it was a little easier. I wish I hadn't been in the first cart. Toby came and gave me a big hug and pulled the kids into camp. I had to walk slowly into camp because I really wasn't feeling well. I made it to camp and had to lay down because every time I stood up I felt nauseous. Toby helped the Snows set up their tent so they helped him because I couldn't do anything. Then Toby got the kids some dinner and brought me some. He was so amazing how he just took care of everything.
Thursday we packed up camp and loaded the buses. We stopped at Independence rock on the way home and had a lot of fun climbing all over it. I don't know how my boys didn't crash on the bus, but they didn't sleep at all on the ride home. I took a couple naps. We had a few angels on our bus that took the little kids to the back and played with them and kept the busy the whole time.
We made it back into town about the time that the evacuation order had been lifted from the fire. There had been a fire while we were gone. Nobody in our ward was evacuated, but the zone was about a mile east and north of us. I don't think it would ever make it all the way in to where we live, but it certainly hit close to home.
So was trek worth it? Yes, I think it was. I am not ready to go do another one any time soon, but I have a deeper respect and understanding for the pioneers and what they went through. I think if the handcart companies had been made up of youth, they would have made it in record time and been fine. Doing a ward trek brought the experience to life. There are kids and grandparents all wanting the same thing. They all wanted to get to Zion. I used to think of the pioneers as being physically challenged. Now I understand that it was so much more than that. The physical part of it is just that, a part. They dealt with guilt for asking for help, not being able to take care of their own family, for being a burden. They learned to carry one another's burdens. They learned to rely on Heavenly Father to make up for their weaknesses. They learned humility. I learned a couple lessons of my own. It was deeply humbling. I hope I remember and don't have to be taught again.
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