Just to say we did it. - "Y" not...

The phone conversation with my brother Will went like this:

Me:     "Hey Willers, wus up?"

Will:    "Hi my favorite sister Hil,
            have I ever told you how I admire everything about you?
            and for some reason you are so much smarter than I am even though
            we share a lot of the same genes."

Me:    "Wow, Will I always thought you were the smart one,
            but it's nice of you to finally admit otherwise.
            Anyway...I know that you and Kimmy hiked the "Y"
            just a few weeks ago..how was it?

Will:     "Oh it was great, easy, piece of cake...be sure to take your kids.
             It will only take you a half hour to forty five minutes.
             Don't worry about bringing water, unless you want to...
             you won't even break a sweat.
             You can bring a stroller to carry the little ones, it will glide right along the trail"

Me:     "Sounds good Willy boy- say hi to the wife and tater-tot."

Not having hiked the "Y" before, Will's advice was all I had to go on
when we pulled up the the "Y" trail head a few days later.

When we arrived at 6:00 pm there was a weird hazy, smoky, windy thing going on in the valley and I almost suggested that we not go, but the kids were so foxy and energetic that there was no turning back.

The hike was awesome -We saw a map that noted thirteen turns to make it to the "Y".

The kids were right in their element. Walking along with freedom and bounce in their step.

Dean pushed Queen Quincy in the stroller and I carried Canyon in a baby pouch.  

The hike was hard, really hard. But with diligence, determination and sheer iron will we made it!
... TO the second turn. 

Turn 2?
I said outloud
"are you kidding me?"



We were only at
two of thirteen!








I gave Dean a fearful, self-doubting, "there is no-way" kind of look.

And he said
"Keep going...I'm sure it's just around the corner, you will want to be able to say you did it."



I was finished..spent..give out. We still had eleven more switchbacks to go.

Pitiful I know.
But then I thought about my brother Will and how he admired me so.
I had to keep going...for Will!

Most of the kids ran up ahead and Dean and I tried to keep up.

Canyon was a good baby - waking only when the rain and my mis-steps woke him up.  

We finally heard the cries of joy as the kids made it to the "Y."

Wade and cousin Danny came running down to encourage us along.

 

Then finally we made it!

 We laid eyes on the infamous white rocks.

As we arrived, the older kids came running down the hill towards us

suspiciously claiming that they had a better trail for us to follow.

.

So like a schmuck, I followed the kids through the shrub and rocks,

then Brett and Lauren slipped behind me pushing me onward telling me to keep going

and giggling with anticipation -

 as I almost stepped right on this ....

It was dead....but what's the difference? it looked very much alive!

I have never, ever screamed so loud- and long.

 I just kept screaming all the while thinking:

ahhhhhhhhh ok I realize that the snake is dead ahhhhhhhhhhh.. why can't I stop screaming? and why are they still laughing?  ahhhhhhhhhhhh ...where there is one snake...there is no doubt many more...ahhhhhhhhhhh...those darn kids, they have no respect for their poor mother...ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...

River ran up exclaiming that she was rock sliding down the "Y"-

      Then this clothes conscious little girl said "did I get my pants dirty?"...

Finally after a good laugh, then cry (remembering the snake).

 We made it to the Y!

Our reward was an apple.

Ya know, I have lived in Utah County my whole life.

I have always been able to see the "Y" from my house. 

I have traveled back and forth underneath the watchful eye of the "Y" approximately 

4983 times in my young life.

And until just two days ago, 

I had never been properly introduced to this wonderful landmark.

    

So we revered it.

And as the sun was setting, Dean quickly ushered us off the hill towards safety

 and off the menu of the nearest mountain lion.

 I assessed the day.

I decided that it was worth the efffort.

I decided that I was a better person for having hiked the "Y"

Today it's a great feeling to travel up and down I-15 

(I've done it twice already today)

 and to look up at the mountain and be able to say...

 "-WE DID IT!"

I'm sure Canyon will thank me later.