From Grove to Battle

Well, Marc is going to make a packer out of Brother by the end of this summer... that's a fact.

Marc offered to drive our 9 passenger Suburban and it just so happened that there were 9 people going. I got such a kick out of seeing the suburban packed full of 6 boys, 2 leaders and 1 dad ready to go backpacking. Tee! Hee!

On their way up Grove Creek Canyon Brother was none too happy about having dad along for his first scout backpacking trip and wasn't afraid to let him or anyone else know it. He continued to yell at him, "Go home with Mommy! Go home!" Thank goodness the Scout Leader figured out to have Brother go to the front of the pack leaving Marc behind to hopefully take a little of the pressure off the both of them. That seemed to help and after that, Brother seemed to have gotten used to the idea that his dad was along on the Scout backpack trip.

You just have to understand that, along with Fragile X Syndrome, there often comes a STRONG rigidity for routine and belonging-ness (word? not sure... but, here, it is), if it doesn't usually happen that way or if it doesn't usually belong then, well, it just DOES NOT!!! So, it's not that Brother is trying to be mean, rude, hateful, disrespectful or cruel. We just messed up his life and now he has to figure out a way to adjust until we decide to adjust back to "normal."

Anyway, it ended up being a GREAT time! GREAT! Marc even got to do some repelling! YAY!

Brother didn't have enough strength and coordination for that because there was no one to belay. They had to do the belaying themselves. Hopefully they will include something that he can do next time. He did have fun watching the others though.

Here are the pictures Marc took so you can see the happy packers for yourselves...

Their view on the way up

Coming in on the darker side of the mountain

finally dinner... late (that's Brother there in the middle with the yellow/green hoodie)

morning in the mountains

there's Brother's yellow/green hoodie barely poking up out of his sleeping bag

heading down Battle Creek Canyon to repel at the waterfalls

That's Brother in the very front

Marc finally got someone to take his picture (wink)

just pretty

So proud of this young man.
He didn't carry his pack up the day before because of his frustration with
dad being there and all and possibly thinking he couldn't carry it uphill,
but he did carry it the whole way down.
I am very  proud of him for what he can push himself to do.

He loves his hiking sticks!

They are finally to the waterfalls where they are going to repel.
Brother loves waterfalls but won't be repelling,  just observing.

One of Brother's leaders heading down for the repel

Looking down at this picture even makes me a bit queezy

Here's Marc on his decent. He had a great time! He made Brother very proud!

Keeping himself busy while he waits for everyone else to come down.

We are some worn out and proud parents! 

Brother, you are lot of work, but a lot of joy!