While at Montreat...one of the annual events is to climb a mountain...Its one of those love/hate relationships...Most of us don't WANT to climb it, but don't want to be left out...she we all end up doing it...and afterwards, are so glad that we did!
This year was special...Elizabeth is our 17 year old cousin...she is so sweet and funny...She loves to tell stories and do crafty things...she has the best laugh...likes to play games...likes High School Musical...and has Down's Syndrome! Every year that I have been going to Montreat...Elizabeth has always opted out of mountain climbing (I mean, who can blame her...I would like to opt out most times:)We always go after church (which normally is at our house!) and Elizabeth would always stay and hang out at the house, watch tv, talk to whoever else opted out of the climb...This year, however was different! We had church at a different location, one that we drove to...and directly after church, we drove to the normal site to start our adventure! We were trying to decide on who was going, who was not...and we just expected for Elizabeth to make a quick dash to the car returning to the house...But she didn't...She decided that it would be better for her to climb the mountain than it would be for her to go back and sit at the house to watch tv(very wise choice, Elizabeth!)
This year was also different because it was the first time that Brenly was going to climb the mountain...Every other year, Brenly has been at the house with Elizabeth. However this year, I thought that it would be neat to let her try to climb it anyway! So we all get to the mountain and started on our way to the top...Brenly decided that she was going to lead the pack with Uncle Josh, so up the mountain they went...And I never got to see her climb any of it... My plan was that she would need to take her time, so we would be at the end of the pack...allowing "us" to take much needed rest stops...NOT SO MUCH!
I happened to get behind Elizabeth, Kyle (her daddy) and Terry (her uncle) and I am so glad that I was there to experience "the moment" to see her sense of accomplishment...A task that seemed very daunting, one that she was very unsure of a few times, sometimes she tried to encourage us all to turn around and go back (I would have been willing:), BUT one, with the help of our Great God and her precious daddy and uncle...SHE ACCOMPLISHED IT! WOW! It was so awesome to see her face as she looked across the landscape and saw how beautiful God had made the mountains!
It was her first time ever to reach the top,
the first time ever that the Allen Family was able to take a COMPLETE family picture at the top,
the first time to be able to say that SHE HAD DONE IT!!!
And I am glad I was there for it all!
By the way, Brenly and Uncle Josh were the first to the top...
It was a first for her as well and I was very proud of my little mountain climber (don't read that the wrong way...it was a BIG mountain...just a little climber :)
2 comments:
Way to go Elizabeth and Bren... You guys are my hero! I am so proud!
I am tired just lookin...
Post a Comment