Memorial Day Weekend

We went on a backpacking trip to Dark Canyon for the weekend. Everything we read about it said it was a strenuous hike, but it doesn't quite prepare one for the experience.
This is a picture of the canyon that we hiked into, it's in the middle. The trail starts right in front of us. It was pretty steep and the 40 lb backpack didn't help. There is a lightly traveled trail into the canyon. Very lightly traveled, in fact if it weren't for the little piles of rocks marking the trail (the piles are called cairns), it would be nearly impossible to pick out.
The side of the canyon is about a 45 degree angle, there are switchbacks, but the terrain is really rough. It reminded me of walking down a precarious staircase...for miles. My legs were shaking by the time we got to the bottom.
The hike it was worth it though, it was pretty and quiet. The hike in deters most people I'm sure, we only saw a few other hikers the whole time.
The first night was really windy and sand blew into our tent the whole night. We definitely didn't get much sleep that night.
Luckily the wind died down and it was really nice the rest of the time.


We had a few days to rest our legs before we hiked out again.

It was a great trip AND we actually took pictures.
This is a huge step for us. We usually don't take a camera anywhere and when we do we forget to take pictures. I actually have even more that are posted here, it's kind of amazing.

The last 2 years

I couldn't believe it had been two years since I posted on this blog last. So much has happened. Mostly good, some very trying. Here are a few of the events in my life that occurred during the last couple years.

1. Frank came home from Afghanistan :)
2. I got accepted to nursing school
3. Frank has been promoted twice
4. We have taken some fun trips to California
5. We hiked part of the narrows in Zion Canyon
6. Frank was really sick for 6 months
7. I lost a friend
8. I made wonderful new friends
9. Kirt (my brother) got married
10. I got 2 new nieces (they are so cute)
11. We celebrated our 4th and 5th anniversaries (6 is coming up next month)
12. I graduated from nursing school

Those are just a few highlights. I'm sure I am still missing some good ones. It really should say school and studying between each one of those things. It seems like school has consumed most of my life. I'm so happy it's over (for now).

Hello Again

I hadn't wrote in this blog in so long that I forgot I had it. Stay tuned and I will update some events that occurred over the past few years that I missed.

Freedom

Freedom has been on my mind today. No doubt because today we get to exercise our right to vote. I've been thinking about our freedom and the freedom of other countries.

Many people speak out against our involvement with Iraq and Afghanistan. They think that it is none of our business or that we should ignore what occurs in other countries. I believe these people are misinformed or worse without compassion for their fellow man.

We did not win our freedom from England without the help of other countries. The Jews did not gain freedom from Germany without help, in fact very few of them were able to fight at all. Throughout history the freedom of one people is often gained only with the help of another.

Why should we be the ones to help? Because we can. That should be all the reason that is needed. Freedom has no price. It is worth every sacrifice to achieve. It is hypocritical to claim to believe in freedom, yet do nothing when others do not have it.

Those soldiers that have died in these countries have not died in vain. We dishonor them by suggesting that this is the case. They died heroes, fighting for freedom. They died selfless, because it was not their own freedom they fought for. They died honorably, serving their country.

It is only because Americans were willing to die for freedom that we have the right to voice our opinions about government. That we had the right to vote today. That if we are unhappy with government we can change it.

I hope that one day all people will be able to say that they are free. We should be proud and honored to help bring that freedom to them.

A Suicide Bomber Hit into the Convoy Frank Was In

First I will say that the only person that got hurt was the suicide bomber. He got blown up, but the vehicle he hit only suffered a flat tire.
I am so thankful that all of the soldiers came out of that situation unscathed. Especially my Frankie.

4 months to go

Just four more months till Frank is home. It will be nice to have him home with out a chance of leaving for a while. In the past 2 years we have not seen alot of each other.
Frank left for boot camp in Feb of 2007 and he was in training till the end of June. When he got home we were told there was a fairly good chance of him going on this deployment to Afghanistan, which eventually turned into a sure thing that he was going. They began training for the deployment in January of this year. The training was at Camp Williams, which is not far from where we live, but there were nights that they would not let him come home. Then at the end of Febuary he left to go to Washington and from there to Afghanistan. So by the time he gets home, I will have only seen him for 7 months of the last 2 years.
We are lucky, we get to talk to each other alot and there are other families that are not able to, but it is still hard. It is a comfort to hear from him almost every day.
I miss his presence and his help around the house. I'm also not really looking forward to the Holidays without him. Although, he will be home for my Birthday and he has missed that the last two years.
I have included some of the most recent pictures I have recieved from him.

Yard Work

Here is the latest addition to my plant collection. Its much bigger than it looks in the picture. The biggest leaf is about 10 inches across.