I have never ever done anything like this before, it was two firsts. I’ve never gone hunting, nor have I ever done something with just my brothers. I’m sure it was a once in a lifetime experience, as we don’t all always live in the same area. They included me in something they love and allowed me to join them in one of their greatest annual joys. The whole experience was a gift, a gift that could only come from my Heavenly Father, one that I’m not able to completely put into words. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, we woke up to frost on the ground, but we all slept well & were warm in our sleeping bags (Zach, thanks for making sure I had a good one). Our air mattresses all still had air in them, something we were pretty sure was NOT going to happen.

It was sooooo beautiful out there! It shouldn’t, but it does, amaze me how much detail God put into every little & big thing – even things that may never be seen by human eye. It makes me see how He didn’t make it for us, the animals don’t care & we don’t see it all – it is for Him and His glory. So when we do see it, we can marvel at Him & Him alone. When we got to a creek/river/stream, whatever it was…the moving water – the guys spent a significant amount of time checking out the rocks for a spot I could cross, I made it across the first 2 spots fine, then I slipped & got water up over one boot – but I learned the value of wool socks. My feet truly were warm even though they were wet (and I REALLY hate wet socks), it was prior to 9am and there was still frost on the ground. The wet socks didn’t bother me, I was shocked & pleased!

The frost on all the leaves & berries was breathtaking. I couldn’t get enough of them.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the vegetation & the variety – so many differentlittle plants live in the tundra. By the way, when you see pictures of mountainsides & it looks all colorful with some trees sticking up….. well, all that flat looking color – is actually as tall as my waist (or above my head) & isn’t easy to walk around in or through. We spent the better part of 12 hours hiking around in it. I got off easy, there were a couple times I spent a fair amount of time sitting to “watch for the moose” or “sitting with the packs”. I know the guys were being kind to me. They were hiking all around, even up to an extra cliff, just to look around – but they didn’t ask me to. The combo of new hiking boots, with wet wool socks had rubbed enough to start blisters on both sides of both feet. I was very thankful to “watch for moose” and “babysit” the packs & loved sitting, looking & praying. I was surprised at how quickly the time went. They did take turns coming to “check on” me, which they both said was a way of taking a break :). But even when there were 2 of us, it was quiet because we couldn’t make noise & you can only whisper for so long about very little. So we’d just sit in comfortable silence in God’s beautiful creation – can anything be better than that?!

Matt found a comfy spot to take lunch break.

When crossing back over to head towards camp…they kept checking out different spots to cross (while I took pictures of the water & rocks – it was just too pretty to pass up) any way, Zach crossed here & did it so gracefully. There were rocks almost like stepping stones across, as you can see they weren’t all out of the water, but they were there — up to where Zach is standing. However – when I crossed & got to that last 3 ft step, I couldn’t step directly on the top of the next rock (at the edge) – I stepped on it more at an angle. Needless to say, the rock went on down the creek & I fell in. Thankfully Zach had a hold of my hand & held me up, or the current would have put me flat on my face…at that point in the creek the water was mid-thigh deep (on me). We laughed so hard – they tried so hard to help me stay dry & I was wetter than ever…I would have been better off just walking across one of the shallower points & being wet to mid-shin. Anyway, I again was very thankful for my quick dry, moisture wicking, polyester, non-cotton pants & wool socks.