Weekends don't get any better than this.

I awake on May 15th, 2009. It's 6:30AM. Thank goodness, I didn't sleep in. Today is the day I've been dreading yet yearning for all year long. It's the day of my first AP test as a ninth grader. All those days of seemingly endless stress have come down to one moment. Well, rather, two hours.

It ends.

I suddenly wonder why I had put myself through so much stress. I thought I knew nothing, when I actually knew much more. It was a success, but bittersweet.

The day drags on.

It's 4:30PM, and I'm all packed up for a Camp Tuttle retreat to Moab. The timing couldn't be better... or could it? I arrive at the church to leave on the tour bus with my buddies, when I find that the tour bus is nowhere in sight. I walk up to the church and ask a nice lady if she had seen a tour bus anywhere, and she said they left 20 minutes ago. My heart skips a beat. "Left? Twenty minutes ago?" I repeat. "Yes." she replies. I hurry back to the car where my mother was waiting. "They've um.. left.." I said. "What?!" exclaims my mom.

We run back to the house and plug my phone into the charger. Countless missed calls and unread text messages, all with the same message; Where are you?!? I quickly dial Ashton's number. "Hey umm.. where are you guys?"
"Megan! What are you doing! Are you coming?"
"Yeah.. Can I talk to our youth leader or something?"
My mother speaks to the youth leader and discovers that thankfully they aren't too far. We race towards the meeting place, find the bus, and I'm off for an amazing weekend.

The day ends with a beautiful sunset.





Rise and Shine! It's Saturday, May 16th. I awake at 6:30AM, but wake-up call isn't until 8. Ashton had picked the best sleeping area, right near the bathrooms. Of course there are going to be those girls who need two hours in the morning to get ready. The only thing I heard for the next hour and a half was the constant opening and closing of the noisy bathroom doors. It seems endless. "We are not sleeping here tomorrow night," Ashton whispers to me. Agreed.

Breakfast ends and we find ourselves getting ready for a day-long river rafting trip down the Colorado river. I was extremely excited, partly because I had only been river rafting once before (at Camp Tuttle Summer Camp).

After the long but peaceful bus ride, we arrive at the start of our river rafting trip. We split into two large groups, and then into smaller ones. Ashton, Andrew, and I were in a group along with some other new friends we had made in the short time we'd been together (Camp Tuttle seems to do that-friend making is quite easy). The trip started out with many threats of getting pushed into the river and such. I'd gotten made fun of countless times for my fear of fish and other creepy things that might be hiding in the muddy water (It was scary I tell you!).

Then the water fights came. It was team Justice (our raft) against team Holla (Riddle's raft) and the unknown raft. The unknown raft was quite easy to conquer, but Holla was a different story. They came onto us with full force, and we were unprepared. I got completely soaked by Riddle in particular. We all swore revenge. Team Justice stole the unknown raft's buckets when they were careless and lost them in the river. We now had four buckets when Holla only had two. It was a close call, but I'm pretty sure we dominated in the next water fight ;).

We then stopped for a delicious lunch in which I stuffed my face with two sandwiches. It was a nice time to hang out on the shore and catch up with old friends while making new ones. I had escaped being pulled into the river many times.

After about an hour, we left for the remainder of the trip. We experienced some pretty rad rapids in which we had to use our buckets for their intended purpose (bailing out the water in the bottom of the raft). The water got warmer the farther we got down stream, because less of it was run-off. We got the OK to get in, and as you might have guessed I was hesitant. Ashton didn't want to get in with me, and everyone else was trying to pull me in. All of a sudden I feel a push and before I know it I'm immersed in freezing cold water. As I emerge, I take countless short and panicky breaths and squeal. "The fish are going to eat me!!!!!!!" I yell. Harmony, a counselor, soon pulls me out of the water. I was very thankful, and then I realized how ridiculous I just sounded. I needed to prove my bravery, so I soon got back in. It wasn't as bad as I thought, and I actually had a pretty good time swimming around in the intimidating muddy abyss. We had to get back in the raft not long after, for we were approaching some pretty nasty rapids.

About four miles later, we reach the end of our river rafting experience. We all pack our freezing bodies onto the bus. As we arrive to the church, Ashton and I bolt out of the bus and straight line it to the showers. "Whoa whoa whoa.. I don't think so! If you guys are taking showers, we're pulling numbers," we hear Honey Bee yell. There were only two showers, and 60 people.. It was understandable, but disappointing. I decide to lay out my towel and bathe in the sun while I wait for the number-pulling to be prepared. Ashton yells to me that she picked 12, and for me to pick one to see if I got better so that we could share. I pulled 18th. I return to my towel and expect to be there for a while. Not long after, Ashton yells to me again and said that someone who didn't want to shower gave her number three. This made me a bit happier and I gathered up my showering supplies. As our shower ends and we begin to get ready, we realize that not many people actually wanted to take a shower. No one after number 5 came to take a shower. "Well, that was pretty pointless.." I said. Ashton agreed.

After Dinner we hurried and got our things together for the Delicate Arch hike. As we begin, Ashton and I start to get pretty disappointed with our stamina. We were pretty winded not long after we started. We were walking pretty fast, but still. (Not to mention I was wearing flip-flops :P.. Alex and I decided that we were twinners.)

We stopped for a few photo-ops along the way.


























And of course, the classic Riddle-takes-a-picture-of-himself-when-asked-to-take-a-picture-of-you Picture. :)


The hike continues. We were blessed with yet another amazing sunset.









And finally, we reach our destination. The Delicate Arch.



It attracts many tourists- from places all around the world.




...and then there's us. :)


This was actually an accident. Ashton was trying to take a picture of the arch but she pressed the button on accident, and at that exact moment she turned the camera vertically to take a vertical picture. The shutter speed was low to allow more light in because it was fairly dark, and so it came up with this swirly effect.


...And we later tried it again.. except with our faces. :)


After the Arch, we headed back to the church for a much-needed night's rest. We awoke at 8 and proceeded with breakfast and attended the 10:30 service. After the service, we packed all of our things onto the bus.


I found this little guy on the side of the church. I thought it was pretty interesting- it looks like an inverse LadyBug.



We got on the bus and started the long drive home. We remembered everything from jaw-dropping experiences to incredibly awkward moments. We promised never to forget them while embracing our new friendships.





This amazing weekend couldn't have had better timing.

I'm ready for round two!
Moab, here I come! Memorial Day weekend! Wooo!