High Adventure

YW River Rafting Trip!

I was recently released from my all-time favorite calling and put into what I always dreamed of as being my all time favorite calling.  It isn't quite measuring up.  I traded in a fantastic group of 35 young women for playing piano in a primary of 200 kids.  I get to work with some amazing gals and keep my piano skills sharp, but I miss the adventures of young women!

This was one adventure I couldn't miss.  I was grandfathered in.  I was one of the few leaders that was crazy enough to sign up for class 4 rapids, so I packed my Tevas and put on the "I'm a tough leader who will never let anything happen to you cute girls" face!  A few rapids made me a little nervous though.  I'm not gonna lie.

This was serious business.  Serious fun, too.  We spent two days on the river.  In these awesome life jackets and helmets.  The first time you put them on, back at the ranch, before boarding the bus that takes you up river some 30 miles, you don't really love them.  A few hours in, and a few serious rapids later, you LOVE them!  You tighten them up and make sure that they aren't going anywhere!

We lunched alongside the river.  We camped alongside the river.  Dinner, games, skits, campfire, testimonies.  Then we slept alongside the river.  We woke up the next day, had breakfast, and headed back out on the river for day 2.  It was amazing!

I shed a few tears when I had to say goodbye to these girls and take a seat in primary.  Spending the weekend on rubber boats with all of them was such a treat.  They are amazing examples to me.  I loved seeing them take on new challenges, paddle hard, jump cliffs, and take care of one another.  My favorite part of being with these girls is to see how they navigate life.  They each know who they are and they know where they are headed.  Their actions, their words, their good choices in all they do exemplifies this.  And they are huge examples to me.

They took on this river just like they have to take on life.  Fearless!

For the record, I did some cliff jumping myself.  And, I looked really tough in my helmet and life jacket.