Havasupi- a tender mercies journey =)

The beginning 

I HIKED HAVASUPI!!!!! WOOWHOO- now the story- My friends, Esther and Tami, have hiked Havasupi several years in a row, and they've invited me the past 2 years, but I wasn't able to go. This year, I did a preemptive and asked Esther (like  back in Feb) when they were going and if I could go and bring my roommate, and with Esther's approval, we planned it all out. We started hiking at 5:30 (but woke up at 4:30 since a cellphone didn't reset to Arizona time- minor hiccup hahah). Either way, we were rearin' to go and backpacked in (go us!), and it honestly wasn't as difficult as I thought. That being said, I should say flat out that I was praying A LOT during this trip. I know for certain the Lord pulled us through it all (very obvious tender mercy story- I was putting in my contacts and dropped one. Well, it's a small clear thing, and I was surrounded by dirt! How on earth was I gonna find it? I did have an extra set, but at this point that extra pair was about 2 miles back, and it would've taken a lot more time I didn't want to spend to retrieve them. I had broken my nose a few days before this trip so the thought of hiking with my glasses on, though do-able, wasn't a happy one. I offered that "I know this is such a small thing but please please" prayer...looked down and guess what?! It was hanging on the side of the actual contact case. It wasn't even a "direct" fall place for it to land so for certain placed there by Providence. That's just one example of tender mercies on this trip so when I say it was "easier than I thought" take that knowing that was mainly due to prayer.) It wasn't easy, but I did better than I thought I would with a pack on, and catching up with several old friends and getting to know some new ones made the time go quickly. We stopped at "Rock Falls/ Little Navajo Falls" before ever getting to camp. The falls were so beautiful and a welcome cooling off point. I also met some of the other friends, another group from Arizona, so it was good to chat with them. We found our campsite and then later that day we went to  Havasu falls. 

Sleeping...in the heat...

 Saturday we went to Mooney Falls followed by Beaver Falls. We thought it was a much shorter hike (time wise and distance wise) and we hiked through the water there at took the trail back. Down to Mooney Falls it's pretty steep and you use the chains to get down. My roommate is scared of hikes, as is my friends Camilla and another girl there, Libby. They made it though and I was proud of them for it. I admittedly was stressed about my roommate most of the time. She wasn't wearing that great of shoes for such a long and strenuous hike. Lets just say she and I were praying a lot during this entire trip, but especially on the way to Beaver. We made it though and enjoyed the beauty along the way. While hiking one of the girls said, "You know what?! This is the only thing on our 'to do' list today!" It was super nice to have a break from work and relax.

We hiked out early Sunday morning and had mules take our packs. It was much harder going out than in (of course since it's uphill), but we made it! I was so proud of Kristina! We had to wait almost 2 hours for our mules with our backs, but we relaxed and hung out in an air conditioned car with my friends Matt and Gooch. Super awesome trip! I will definitely go again! I learned some things to for sure to take and other things to not bring (like extra clothes- we were in the water and our bathing suits the majority of the time). It really is the "Garden of Eden" of the Grand Canyon.
(PS- special thanks to my coworker, Sue for letting me park my car at her home in Mequite, and to her super sweet husband for washing my car while it was at their house- you guys are great!!)

Injuries - Theses are my injuries incurred in less than a week of each other...First was my nose, then I cut my hand on something, then I cut the side of my foot (they are bandaged in these photos) while moving a bed frame in my house. Then I got 2 blisters during the Beaver Falls hike and I also knocked my knee (you can't really see but the 3rd picture is in my knee...double in size of the other), while jumping off one of the little water falls (I purposely didn't jump off any of the big ones, not because I'm afraid but because I thought a sudden water push up my nose would hurt!).

some of my roommates blisters...bless her heart!

Enjoying the river- there was a little tow rope we played on