Back From the Dead

Hello all.

So it has been a very long time since i have last written, and chances are this will be the last post until the end of November (depending on my continuance on the course).

Since the last time, things have been a whirlwind of events. I was leaving i was staying, i was maybe doing both, i was maybe doing none of them!!! Nuts I know.

As of now here is where i stand. I met with Chris Brownies (thats Brown Eyes) from NOLS. After a long converstation he felt impressed enough and comfortable enough to allow me to continue on to the climbing section of the course here in Colorado, and post pone any decision making until i receive an x ray in about a week looking at how much my hand has healed. It was an awesome conversation where i got to really express how strong i felt about staying, how sure i was that i could push through the adversity, and how (in more or less words) i wasnt going to go down with out exhusting every other option out there. (I want this more than anything right now, i have a calling here that i am not willing to loss so easily).

So thats the hand, hopefully healing like no other, I am on enought calcium and Vitamin D to build a whole new bone in my hand in 4 weeks (thats the strategy lol).

So lets recap a bit:

I have finished a 10 day backpacking trip through the Wind River Range in WY. It was awesome, we saw snow, rain, sun, wind and everything in between. I got to flyfish in a puffy jacket with snow all over and hike the most incredible peak in the area. From there we went to the 3 peaks ranch werre all the medical stuff went down both from a learning stand point (my wilderness first responder trainin) and from a service stand point (many long drives - 2 hours - to Jackson Hole, WY for my surgeries and appointments). During that time i successfully completed and passed my WFR training and test and am now a certified WFR through NOLS.

We took of back to Lander (HQ and the branch). There we packed everything for the rest of the course:Climbing, Canyons, and Winter. We will not return until the end of the semester. All gear and food will meet us at transition locations.

During this time was when all those conversations and the emotional rollercoaster i road happened. We did have a once in a life time opportunity to sit in on the state of the school address and go to the alumni and awards dinner with all the board of trustees and instructors and important NOLS people from all over the WORLD!!!! It was epic! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting some many NOLS staff and hearing the stories and the expriences of people who have dedicated their lives to the organization. One man, named Doug, was taught by Paul Petzoldt himself and has gone on to work in every decade since the beginning of NOLS, and we got to sit down at dinner and talk with him!!! Awesome!

So we packed up all our gear, I got the green light to continue on and things went well. We took off for Grand Junction last Sunday and got down here in the evening. Instead of having NOLS rationed food, we were given a budget for each tent group and went to the super market to buy our 9 days of food. Today is our reration day and tent group switches. We have another 10 days to go until we move into the canyon section.

Climbing section has been awesome, it has been really hard dealing with the fact that i cannot climb but my hard skills and more technical gear skills are getting awesome from it, Since i know how to climb really this is what i have been wanting to learn. If anything this have been a blessing since i now have ALOT of time to practice.

It is no backpacking camp, we have big tents, propane stokes, water jugs, and coolers filled with fresh food. It is an adjustment from the fast paced like of the backpacking section. Staying in one location all day is alittle weird, but i am reminded of the wilderness when i fall asleep for the millionth time on a ground pad listening to the wind.

I have definitely struggled with my faith at times during this course, not in a large scale but in allowiing God to work through this situation. I want sooooo badly to continue on, to push throug the pain, the adversity and prove i can cut it, yet i know that this is not always Gods plan for me. I do not know what his will is, i pray constantly for it, yet i will fight for this course until i can see his will will rule over any other.

I see this as an opportunity to really glofiy God in this. He can heal my hand if he so chooses, no doubt and that is what i am praying for, yet i must humble myself and give him the same praise if it is not so. I do think and hope that this is an opportunity to really show how God can work.

Being in his creation is magnificant, the places we see and the things we do are breath taking, it is so clear he is surrounding us, holding us in his land, I love it.

Well that is an update for now, I am well, spiritually tested, but i like it, emotionally tested and i enjoy it, and physically tested and i can handle it, it is now getting the decision makers to understand and let me test myself to my true limits.

Thanks so much for everyones prayers and support. I love you all and hope your lives are blessed as much as mine has been.

until next time....