Exciting pictures

We love Lake Powell! This year we invited the Darren and Ruth Cook family - which consists of Darren, Ruth, Zach (who is at BUY-I) Elena, Caroline and Julia. They also brought a friend named Macey. We let Dallin and Logan bring some friends so Dakota, Tate and Kai joined the merry group! Zach and Brenn had to stay and go to school :( This is our houseboat - not to fancy but it works really well for lots of kids.

Lunch is always a busy affair.

Macey, Logan, Dakota, Elena, Caroline and Julia

This is a picture of our stuck climbers - the rescue climbers and I are at the top -

This is a close up - Dallin and Kai are on the right - Tate in the middle and I am at the top with the rescue climbers.

As to what happened - Ken and the girls went to the marina and out wake boarding. The boys didn't want to go so they thought they would go for a hike. They scrambled up a little face and climbed as high as they could and waved to the houseboat. Then, thinking they did not want to go back down the same way saw a ledge that looked to be a good height to jump in the water and swim back to the boat. Unfortunately they were not as safe climbing down to the ledge as they should have been and at one point Tate slipped and grabbed Kai's leg, that leg was the only thing keeping him from falling about 150 feet. Kai lowered him to a more stable place while Dallin crab walked on to the ledge - almost falling himself. As Kai scooted over and crab walked like Dallin, Tate climbed up to take Kai's place. Thankfully, Tate knew his limit and since the close call he elected to stay where he was on the rock face. Kai and Dallin decided it was really to high to jump (Yeah, for some good thinking) and started to yell for help. I did not realize how really stuck they were or how serious the situation was until someone went out on the Kayak and saw were Tate was hanging out.

I am disappointed in my lack of stopping and thinking. If I had taken it a little more seriously and thought it through I would have done a few things differently. Darren and I hiked around the canyon trying to find a better way up to the boys but did not find anything. Ruth actually climbed out on the rock and helped me start and I had little trouble getting above the boys - the problem was I brought the only rope I could lay my hands on quickly and it was too small and short for the job. Just as I got up there Ken was being pulled over by a Park Ranger. I have to say we have been boating at Lake Powell for a lot of years and I am pretty sure I have never seen a Ranger so far from the Marina. But, here they were in the very canyon we needed them to be. Logan and Dakota were on the Kayaks at the mouth of the canyon waiting on Ken and told him the situation, the Ranger then went to call for help. I know that was a blessing from the Lord in answer to all of our prayers. The rescue was not fast but they were very safe in all they did to get the boys up. SIL Kirsten (Kai's mom) was in the temple while they were climbing and had put his name on the prayer roll before she started - that would have been when they were doing the risky human ladder and Tate slipping. I know that angels held up those boys - they have important work to do. Ruth pointed out to them that evening as we sat around and they told us the WHOLE story, that they must have work to do on this earth and it would start with their missions.

Ken was not happy that I had climbed up there but the boys told me they needed me there so I was glad I made the effort. I do wish I would have stopped and thought for a few minutes - I would have gotten the sturdy anchor ropes in a backpack and some water and snacks for the boys. As it was I felt kinda dumb, but still protest that I was not stuck!

This is the rock face we all climbed. The Ranger who climbed it first and strung the rope for the others was named Keen - he ask me if I climbed that, I said, "yes" and he said it was amazing what 'momaline' could do. I told him I have climbed a lot of things like that when I was younger and thought is was challenging but not that bad, he told me I did a good job.

The helicopter - the boys were fantasizing about the helicopter and wonder if James Bond would be lowered, then thought it would be better if it was Pussy Galore (hormones), then maybe it would be cool if the copter turned in to Optimus Prime (still a hint of the child). I told them not to count on it but they could dream. After about 5 hours the boys were rescued and we got to eat dinner. What a day. I told Ken, there is always drama at Lake Powell, but this was more than usual.



I think the boys were bored at this point.

How many clothespins can you fit on your face?

Catching air on the wake board - way to go Dallin!

Kai thought he got some awesome pictures for his facebook profile!

Ken relaxing on the tube with his new sweatshirt - can you find him?

Last but not least how can you go to such a beautiful place and not know God is in charge? The water was so still - it was hard to know which way is up and which is the reflection. I love alot about Lake Powell, the beauty of the canyons, the stars at night, laying on the top of the houseboat getting ready to sleep and talking in the dark with everyone. Playing lots of cards and game with each other, reading books, playing catchphrase over and over, listening to the kids play Mafia and just enjoying a simple life with no electronics or other distractions. I always have such a hard time going home. At least I know we will always be back!