Pioneer children sang as they walked

Sunday we had the privilege to go to Martin's Cove. The boys were finally able to take a day off and so we all got to go down together. It was a 4 hour trip, But worth it.

We saw lots of antelope, and baby antelope, and deer , and rattlesnakes! Martin's Cove,now, is a really special place. We are just lucky we got to go there in the summer. It is where a group of Mormon pioneers experienced a great deal of hardship one winter and many of them died. They were trying to go to The Salt Lake Valley with the rest of the Latter Day Saints, to escape religious persecution. They left too late in the year and were so

weak and tired from pulling what little they had on handcarts from Illinois, a few bad storms really devastated the company and most families lost loved ones. Just east of Martin's Cove though a rescue party from the Salt Lake Valley had reached them and was able to encourage them on and bring supplies. The stories of the joy they felt at the sight of their aid, was sweet in contrast to the heartache. A little further down the Sweetwater River is where the 3 boys carried practically the whole company across the freezing river. We felt really lucky to be able to go there as a family. I can't say our trip was seamless, but I think it was so we could realize how blessed we really are.

I didn't take my camera all the way into the Cove because it just seemed like holy ground. There was a really neat spirit there.
Modern Day hand cart

We had a really neat time, and I think everyone agreed we wish we would've spent the whole day there (except maybe Chloe and Kaidee who got blisters and were tired of walking)(and Cody and I really wished we had brought Rowdy's diaper bag into the Cove)