An amazing experience...

This was an experience of a life time.

No we did not go on a cruise, or to Disneyland or to the beach.
We went to Wyoming to a Freeman family reunion. We went to the Willie and Martin hand cart centers and we were able to experience with our kids a tiny taste of what the pioneers had to go through. I could write so much on all the wonderful experiences we had it was amazing and wonderful. It may not seem like much of a vacation but it was an experience of a life time. It wasn't easy especially with 5 kids but it truly gave you an understanding and oppoutunity to understand the stuggles of the Willie and Martin Handcart companies. Their struggles were not done in vain. We have many struggles in our day similar in hardness to theirs but theirs were physical and ours our spiritual so we all have to load our hand cart with all that is important to us and walk up our Rocky Ridges and continue on to Zion. I really don't think the feeling you feel out there is matchable you experience something different and then you are changed for the better forever.

I love this scripture Helaman 5:12 it reads: And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
I think that scriptures ties the Pioneers and their struggles to us and our stuggles and If we REMEMBER(that is the theme of the pioneers) what they suffered for the gospel sake we can do the same. Their hail storms and mighty winds were real and physical and ours are spiritual but if we withstand and endure we will be built upon the rock of Christ. They paved the way and now we have to finish it.

If you ever get a chance to go do it you will love it!!

We also blessed Lizzie Brittlee out there which was so neat because she is named after a pioneer that came in the Martin Company so that was a very neat experience and I'll post about that soon.


My little girls

A beautiful rainbow after a bad hail storm, it was a sweet treat after being caught in the hailstrom. Beauty can be found anywhere even after a hailstorm.

Wyoming Plains

The resque spot of the Willie company at the base of Rocky Ridge

The boys coming down from Rocky Ridge sheltering theirselves from the hail. David my nephew wrapped his coat around Kyle and his little brother it was so sweet.

Hail at the top of Rocky Ridge. I think the Lord was letting us have a taste of how it was like for the pioneers. It was so neat, when the hail started coming down all the men started taking care of the women and children they gave us their hats and whatever they could to help us from getting wet and hit with hail, it was really cool to see.
Rocky Ridge was one of the harders walks for the Willie company because it was so rocky and they came across it in terrible snow storm conditions. I think it took them 26 hours to cross it and 13 died when they reached the base.

Joe on Rocky Ridge

Joe, Deb, and Kyle on Rocky Ridge

The Rocky Ridge Monument

The remember rock in remembrance of the 2nd rescue when the temple work was done for many of the pioneers who were over looked and did not have their temple work done for them. This just happened in 1994 I believe so they waited a long time for it. A dear Stake president was inspired with this whole second rescue when they realized that some of the pioneers had not had their temple work done they began doing research and found that many of them had not had it done so that stake went to work and did the temple work for many of the pioneers. The people of the riverton stake were promised some great blessing by the prophet and his counslers for doing this great act of service. President Lorimer who was Stake President at the time of the second rescue and headed that up, came and gave us a fireside it was so so good, he is an amazing man.
He has 6 girls and 1 boy (it could be worse Kyle:)


The grave site where the 13 were buried after their walk over Rocky Ridge. If you remember the story I posted about James and Joseph Kirkwood, James was one of the ones buried here.

The head stone for the 13 buried in the grave



Epriam Hanks, one of the rescuers (actually my dad just dressed up to play the part) Epriam Hanks was a rescurer to the pioneers in their dire circumstances he brought much hope to them in time of need. He has a neat story.

She lost her skirt.

The pony express. We all wrote letters to our kids and my dad brought them in on the pony express, you should have seen him ride that horse:) the kids loved it.

Walking with my mama

The river crossing. We had to do it 3 times, the river was so high we had to empty our handcarts so all the stuff didn't get wet and then we just passed it down the assembly line. Everyone helped and no one complained.

My brother John carrying Kayelee across.

My girls on the banks of the Sweet water river.

It started raining pretty hard so everyone put their hats on the girls. Kambree got in a fight with a few misquitos and lost that is why her eye is so swolen. I have never seen so many misquitos in all my life, there were TONS! It was crazy trying to keep enough deet on you to keep them away.

Tuckered, she fell asleep just like that.

The womens Pull... This was one of the most spiritual experiences of the trek for me. If you see the little specks in the distance that is all the women, the men are on this hill and they have just been called to go to war with Mexico and leave their wives and children. It was an emotional experience letting all our men and the Priesthood go. They left and we talked about our strength as women and my cousins sang the most beautiful version of "As Sister's In Zion" it was beautiful. The men are take up to the top of the hill and asked to remove their hats and to just watch.
As we begun to walk the hill up to our men I think we all realized how hard it was going to be to pull our cart up the hill. The first cart went and we could see from behind that they were not going to make it so we went to help. We were able to get all the carts up the hill without any Man help. As I was pushing my cart with my sister and all our sweet babies in the cart I felt the strength of someone beside me I looked over and saw that it was my Mother my heart was just so full and grateful. That was one of my favorite experiences I know if I am in need my mom will always be there for me helping me pull my cart no matter what, it was a sweet experience. When we got to the top Kyle threw his arms around me and said "mom I love you so much" I could tell it was a neat little experience for him too and it was neat to see his appreciation for me.

Us getting ready to pull our cart up the hill we are not the ones in front we are the ones with the covered cart.

My dad with his Mormon Batallion costume on (my sister made) getting ready to call the men out to go to war with Mexico.

Walking the trail.

The water was high so Joe was helping all the ladies and kids get across the small stream that had formed from the rain and extra moisture. It was neat to see him see that some were struggling to get across and just go over there to help, he helped until the last one got across. It reminded me of the boys who helped the whole Martin company get across the freezing cold Sweet Water river. I know Joe would have been one of those boys if needed, he is that kind of Man.

I just love the look on Kayelee's face, it looks as though she is thinking... If that is one more misquito I am jumping out of this handcart and going home:)

Actually it is pretty fun even with the misquitos

My Mom with Kayelee and Rebekah (my sister's daughter)

Kambree, My little pioneer girl. She really is her own little pioneer in all the many things she faces each day. She never gives up.

Just a little tired.

My man pulling my handcart.

So tired! Thank goodness for Daddy

My other man pushing, he's got some precious cargo in there.

The group.

My pioneer baby