I'm carrying THAT?

 (Please feel free to laugh at my melodramatic monologues...I am!)   


         I can do marathons - shopping marathons. Last night, with a friend's assistance, nearly all of my gear was purchased at one single store. A Godsend, disguised as a manager at Gander Mountain, perused the cart beforehand, double-checking that the non-wilderness girl had remembered all she might need to survive away from a shopping mall. :) Somehow I passed the test, I think, because the last pieces of advice were, "Have fun and take lots of pictures." No worries there.
        Today is food day. My mind does not comprehend visual or 3-D images without actually seeing the product. Blue prints will forever remain a mystery. Directions only work with very clear labels. Therefore, knowing what should be put in a re-supply box is one thing. Lists are cake. Figuring out the actual volume and dimensions of the box needed for a 5-10 day supply of food becomes more tricky. There is no concept in my mind as to how big that box should be. Many trips will be made. (How many freezer/sandwich bags will it take to compartmentalize a 40 lb. pack? No clue.) Mountains of food will be accumulated. (How long does a package of beef jerky last a hungry hiker? No clue.) Success will be...eventual.
        As time draws to a close on the school year and papers increase, my time outside has been frighteningly brief. However, the next few weeks should afford some beautiful weather and perfect opportunities for me to test gear and establish how to pack a pack. It still boggles my mind (again, lacking the capacity of dimensions) that everything on my living room floor has to fit into a pack. (I will take a picture.) One pack. Which I will haul like a pack mule up and down elevations, the greatest being over 6,000 feet. For some of you reading, you likely may be laughing at my naivety or complete ineptitude. For my ignorance, I apologize. I know the concepts, but it is true, this is the first time for such an expedition. Bursts of hope and moments of reality wage war within me. At the same time, I know God, Ethan, and pure stubborness will keep me going through all of the situations in my future.
        Ridiculousness set aside, there has been an exciting Ethan up-date: he transitioned recently from laying down to sitting up and he has been crawling all over the place for quite awhile! For kids with PBD's this is especially difficult because they usually have very weak muscle tone. Those core muscles are getting stronger! Go Ethan!!!!!


                                                                                                                          God Bless,
                                                                                                                           S