Up & Down the Mountain

So this morning as I blog, I wanted to tell you about some recent events going on. A few weeks ago, we went to beautiful lake that Katelyn said she swam across (Katelyn is a teenage girl that is Jessica's main friend of the Jacksons). Then we got back in the car (or actually some of us outside the car) and drove to another area.

What I meant by that is literal. Katelyn, Kathleen, Sarah, and me got permission and hung off the back of the car while Katelyn's dad was driving!!! It was really fun. One time, I was going one-handed, and we hit a bump. My legs went up, and my left hand held on for dear life! Even though my feet got back on grip.  DON'T TELL MOM!

When we arrived, Mrs. Jackson said that we were going to climb a very steep mountain that I saw in the distance, and at first I didn't believe her. But when she answered my “Are you serious?” question, I knew she wasn't joking.

Going up was pretty easy, but coming down wasn't. It rained a bit when we climbed up, and that didn't make anything better. Another reason why going down was harder was because you're looking straight down. When you check to see what your next footstep is, you look over the edge and...Oh, man, it was scary. But we all made it down safely by God's amazing protection. It's really fun to write this down—it brings back good memories (minus the looking-over-the-side-of-the-mountain part).

Last week we went horse-back riding on the Jacksons' two horses. We probably could have gone again today, but most of the Jacksons aren't feeling too well, so we canceled that.  Jessica was very sad–maybe even more sad then when it rained very hard and we and the Jacksons had to leave. I was a little disappointed, but not a third as much as Jessica!

So instead of riding with the Jacksons, we'll be going to Ginny-Kong, a place where there are pretty waterfalls and I'm not sure what else. I'll blog about it when I get back—mom said that we're leaving soon.

So as it turns out we didn't go to Ginny-Kong, and only 2 of the Jacksons are sick. We went to Mbingo with all of us except Mrs Jackson (or Auntie Karen) and  Katelyn. When we got there Mr. Jackson (or Uncle Chris) told us that we wound be climbing some mountains to get a good look at a waterfall. A little less than halfway, we reached the waterfall—we could see it in the distance. But then it started pouring and we were stuck. With Emily crying because of being wet and tired from the walk, we could go back, but it would be about as much as continuing on. So, we did continue on, with Emily crying most of the way. When at last we got to the car, my dad said that we walked about 5 miles going up, down, and on slippery and muddy ground. Good exercise!

- Josh