Trek 2K13

Amanda had the opportunity to go on Trek this year as the Stake Youth Conference.  The kids were asked to 'bring along' an ancestor.  We did a ton of research and found many, many amazing ancestors...some that had come across the plains and some who hadn't.  Eventually, we decided on Susannah Marriott. She did come across the plains and eventually they settled in Kaysville!

 Isn't that amazing?  We have NO family up here, but now realize that we have roots here!  They settled here with 3 other families, one which was named Burton. There is a street named Burton in Kaysville.  No streets named Marriott though, that we know of. Eventually, John & Susannah were asked to go settle further north.  There is a town called Marriott-Slaterville and we knew about our roots further north...Garden City, Ogden, etc.

 We couldn't find a picture of Susannah, but there was this grave on the web.  Looks like a new one obviously, but still nice to have some type of photograph about her.

 Here is our little pioneer before she left! She wasn't overly excited to go and maybe a little nervous.  Grandma Gib loaned us the bonnet which her Mom had made and helped us with a shirt and apron, too! Thanks Grandma!

Mike & I were really nervous for her to go. We knew she'd be fine, but there wouldn't be any communication with her for 4 days and we knew it was going to be hard.

We worried most about her feet. We knew if she got blisters, then she'd have a terrible time.  What we ended up doing after several options was having her wear my already broken-in hiking boots and bought some hiking socks.  She came home blister-free!  Some kids had 20+ blisters on their feet.  

Mike & I were also wishing we had gone along. There were a couple of opportunities for one or both of us to go, but at the time it didn't seem feasible.  Looking back, we should have made it work.  Good lesson and we'll prepare for when Sydney gets to go. Amanda said she wishes we had gone.  Almost everyone had a parent or a sibling there in one capacity or another.

After we had dropped her off at the Stake Center and Mike went to work, Brandon and I decided to go for a walk.  We are trying to get some conditioning in before he starts football.  We walked a long way. Not as long as Amanda walked that first day, but we were thinking about her.  We were in kind of a funk after she left.  We really missed her!

Our friend, Amy, who was going on trek with the kids sent me this picture of Amanda's trek family before they departed the stake center.  The boy in green second from the right is Jake and is in our ward.  She said she only knew one of the girls.  Mike knew her Pa as he was the stake auditor when Mike was finance clerk.  I was a little worried still....

Then, the 2nd night at 10pm, I got this picture sent to me on my cell phone!  We were so relieved!  We were happy to see that big smile on her face!  I texted back and forth with Amy and made sure everything was ok. Amy said it had been really hard. There were tons of hills and they walked over 10 miles the past 2 days.  She hadn't seen Amanda much, but when she saw her she said Amanda was always smiling!  This picture of Amanda and Landon (who isn't in her 'family' so I knew she got to mingle with her friends) made me happy!

 Then, she sent this one of the camp and I posted it to  Instagram for all the other trek parents who wanted a little communication.  I couldn't reveal my source, but we all chatted and made each other feel better at least,

 They arrived Saturday about 4:30! Mike & I had taken Sydney and Brandon to City Creek for lunch to kill some time.  Then, on the way home Amy texted and told us they were there and to come now!

 There they were, stinky, dirty and tired, but happy!  I never got a picture of Amanda with her Ma & Pa or trek family, but these are her friends.  Jared, Bridgette, Erynn, Landon, Liz, Amanda, Susie

 And Maddy, Tanner and Amanda....She had great stories and a great adventure and loved it! She said she'd go again for sure!  We were happy for the amazing experience and all the effort that so many people put in and for her blister-free feet!