Yellowstone Trip

 It was the summer of 2017 when it all happened. We stopped at Soda Butte (a non active geyser on the side of the  road) for our annual trip past it into the valley. Most people don't know this, but it you walk down the path around Soda Butte, there is a beautiful landscape of streams and brooks that run over colorful rocks and sand. My dad is sort of a nature nerd so we always take off our shoes and go wading around looking for petrified wood and agates. It's always super fun, but this time something happened that ruined the rest of the trip for our whole family.

This year our cousins were with us, so it was fun for us to show them around. My dad's cousin jumped across a larger stream with no trouble at all. My mom, in the meantime, usually has dad carry her across, thought she could jump over the stream with the same agility, leapt across and landed with both feet on the rocks on the other side. As she landed she heard her knee pop out to the side and she crumpled to the ground. Mom sat by the water for the better part of fifteen minutes. She said later that she threw up from the pain. When we went back to the car, my dad and his other cousin had to carry her back up. Dad took the another car and raced to the nearest hospital. We learned later that mom had torn her ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament). It is a ligament that keeps your knee bones together. 

That night we had a sleepover at my friend Ella Barthel's so that mom could have surgery. it was a scary night! The next morning we went home and mom was laying on the couch. we didn't do school for three weeks after that because mom had to sleep most of the time. I am thankful that God took care of our family in that time of crisis.

                                                                                      by Abigail Strong