Brave Mommy

The first week of the month Mommy traveled with her eighth grade students to a camp for four days.  She really enjoys spending this time with them outside of school.  There's lots of wildlife to see while at camp.  The monarch butterflies were in the middle of their migration and were everywhere!

A fox Mommy's co-worker named Felix liked to hang out with the adults while the students played basketball nearby.  He (or she??) didn't appear to be afraid of people at all!

We also saw a snake (that puked up two frogs right before this picture was taken) . . .

And there were so MANY little bitty frogs!  The students loved looking for them in the grass.

While at camp, the students have a chance to zipline, rappel, and more!  There are four big events each student can choose to participate in which tests their bravery.  Last year, Mommy participated in two of these events.  One of the events did not interest Mommy even one tiny bit last year (or this year either).  This event requires the participant to climb a 26 foot tall pole, stand on top of that pole, and then jump off!  Ummm . . . NOPE!  Not gonna happen!

But there was an event that piqued her interest last year and caused her to regret not having taken the plunge . . . literally.  Mommy had planned to make this event her goal this year . . . until she arrived and saw it again.

Anyone up for rappelling off a 60 foot tall bridge?  This catwalk bridge has to be crossed back and forth for every meal while at camp.  Mommy REALLY does NOT like walking across it since you can see through it!  It freaks her out a bit.  This is also the location of the rappelling.  The hardest part of the rappelling is that you have to climb OVER the wall of the bridge to start!  Anyone watching the rappelling can see that once you're over the bridge, the participants have loads of fun.  It's not even that high or scary at that point.  It's just getting your leg over the bridge that freaks everyone out!

One of Mommy's students reminded his friends of the age old saying of Moms everywhere, "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do so also?"  That particular boy chose not to rappel (although he did jump off the tall pole the next day).

You have to lower yourself until your head is lower than your feet so that when you finally remove your feet from the bridge, you won't swing forward and hit your head!  This is right before Mommy lets go!

Mommy had to be talked into rappelling by her boss and the camp counselor who said she should set a good example for her students.  She reminded him she did every day!  She really had to dig deep to find the nerve to do this event.  It was WAY out of her comfort zone!  But SHE DID IT!!!! (And even smiled while doing so!)  Mommy was so proud of herself!

Maybe one day we'll get to do something as fun and adventurous as this!  Are you picturing us strapped into a harness yet??

Until our next adventure,
Dixie, Jenna & Ruger