“This summer was not supposed to be a big summer for me, I planned on working, tanning by the pool, seeing some friends and hanging out with my family. But, it turned out to be so much more than that. Last Christmas, my parents decided to surprise our family with a vacation to Yellowstone National Park and Teton National Park. So, after months of planning and talking about the trip, we were finally on our way to the parks. Everybody that came on this trip included my grandparents, my aunt, my uncle, one cousin, my parents, my 3 sisters and me. And if you know anything about the Martin family- we go all out on our vacations. We had 10 days to do all the things our hearts desired, and we pretty much did that! We went hiking through the mountains, swimming in freezing lakes, horseback riding through the mountains, white water rafting, saw all the animals we could ever dream of, saw Old Glory Geyser go off and drove around Yellowstone for more hours than we could count. One of the most memorable and terrifying moments of the trip was when a group of us decided to hike up to a place called inspiration point. Now, I have a fear of heights but as long as I’m not on the edge of the cliff I am okay. As we were hiking up, we got to the one part of the trail which was just rocks hanging on the edge of the cliff about 2 feet across from the edge of the cliff and the mountain wall. Talk about shaking… I was trembling grabbing onto the side of the mountain and walking sideways so I didn’t have to look down. But we did it! So, since I didn’t die from fright, I guess I would say it was worth it. It was such a precious trip surrounded by my sweet family and God’s amazing creation. It was so amazing finally going on a big family trip all together and the time we spent together will be cherished by our family forever. I would say that this trip and being surrounded by some of the biggest forms of creation really changed my perspective of life, of God, of family, and of myself.
Senior, Business Management and Psychology
Conway, Ark.
photo by Levi Dade
