Camping & an El Paso Morning

This morning, I walked outside with Andrew for his morning cigarette and as I was looking around a memory hit me. I smiled really big and told Andrew about it. The memory was girls camp. In the LDS/Mormon faith, when a young lady turns 14 she is invited to go on a week long camping trip with the other young women of the church. There might be about 200 girls in a campsite. This mornings air was so crisp and fresh, I was just taken back to the mornings of early awakenings by a bugle horn. The mornings of these camping trips were so refreshing. Everything was so natural. I learned so much about myself. I can't believe how much I have changed since then, but at the same time I haven't changed that much. How interesting. It made me think about camping with my parents and siblings. One year we went to Padre Island. 

It was the only time I have been to the beach. I wore a neon orangy red one-piece swimming suit. We all had our own plastic shovel and pail, I filled mine with beach sand and sea shells. My favorite memory [which is pretty foggy] is walking sown the beach with my dad. I don't remember what we were talking about. We saw a beached jelly fish. Some people say they are the most beautiful sights to see, I thought it was gross looking. I remember it was tiny. I don't remember if it was the evening or if it was early morning but it was kind of dark and the horizon was beautiful. I don't think I have ever seen pictures of that trip.... We have also gone to the Gila [pronounced "heela"] Wilderness A LOT, [I took this picture, honestly, during my first girls camp trip]

and we have been to the City of Rocks. 

I can't wait to go camping with my sons and husband. Andrew used to go camping every fall with his dad and best friends. Once, I talked to him about how interesting it will be. When I went, My parents were there, they made it safe and I could go have fun. [Even though most of the time I was helping instead] And the same is with Andrew, his dad was there. The next time we go camping, WE will be the parents, making sure everything is safe. I asked myself before we got married, if I trusted Andrew with our family in the wilderness. Will we be able to work together to keep our kids safe and still have fun and make memories with them? I'm pretty sure I do, or elese I wouldn't be this excited, but I will have to reaccess when we get to that point....