07 August 2008

And I HAVE walked 500 miles and I will NOT walk 500 more!...by NR

Wow, it is surreal to sit here and write that we have arrived in Santiago! Many say that this is when the real journey begins, when you take the road home and piece together all that you have learned and experienced. Emily and I looked at each other after reaching the beautiful cathedral and did not know if we wanted to cry, laugh, sit or stand. I have to be honest, that I was somewhat expecting a welcome banner, but in reality, there were just a lot of relieved people celebrating their arrival. Three hospital visits, one case of bed bugs, an allergic reaction, tendonitis, 32 days, 10 blisters, a ton of laughing, singing and 500 miles later, we have made it! The road is now paved with our story forever and the journey of faith and friendship that it took us on this past month. I am filled with gratitude for this experience. One thing I learned especially today was that pride does not get you far...Em and I were the slowest hikers today because of my knee and ankle. Hundreds past us as Em walked steadily by my side until the very last step. People would give me the most pitiful looks, but we turned it in to the funniest story yet. I have so much to say but I would become random and confusing if I started to decribe it all. So, I will end with a prayer... Lord, thank you for this journey. Thank you for the prayers that have been answered and the provision you had of us during our travels. Every detail was a blessing, sometimes in disguise and you taught us so much. May we continue on this road looking for the arrows that you put in our path, in order to love ourselves and others better than the day before. Thank you for Emily and our friends and family who proved to be relentless in their love and support. I praise you for teaching me, guiding me, loving me despite myself. May I remain in your arms forever...Amen.

06 August 2008

Almost There...by ER

We have almost crossed the finish line to Santiago and I have really mixed emotions about leaving the Camino. I have dreamed of walking this pilgrimage road for the past 5 years, and now I suppose I will dream of walking it again. Tomorrow, when we arrive at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, we will have to say goodbye to a good friend. We´ve come to depend on the road and little yellow arrows to show us where to go and guide us to our home for the night. Sometimes we start walking before dawn and have to look for arrows with our flashlights...you can imagine the relief we feel when a shining spot of yellow appears in the forest. I think I will search for the arrows even after this trip. Many people have dedicated their lives to finding these arrows and we are reminded of this when we see graves and memorials along our path. They are beautifully decorated with pilgrim momentos, acknowledging their sacrifice. Hundreds of years ago, many pilgrims were robbed, kidnapped and murdered on their way to Santiago. Imagine walking from Rome, where many pilgrims started, to Santiago in 1794. There were no ATMs, (so you had to take all of your money with you), no Merrell shoes (i.e. blisters galore), bed bugs (wait we still have those), no internet cafes or rucksacks. They did however, have the protection of The Knight´s Templar and the hospitality of strangers along the way. Time marches on, but the intention of the Camino remains the same.

05 August 2008

Serendipity...by NR

Sometimes I wonder why worry is such a big part of my day. This camino has certainly proved to me that if you take time to do things well, or take time to be still, good things, including clarity always come. Em and I were walking today until we reached our destination. I have now learned to make jokes about my limp, as we have found many names for me to substitute for ¨gimp¨. Once we crossed that final bridge, I was thanking God for allowing my body to make it that far. My heart broke when we heard the words ¨Completo,¨ meaning there were no more beds in this small town...we would have to travel almost another mile to the next town. We sat down and as I was praying, Em said that she felt something better would happen for us. After we finished a sandwich, we started our ascent slowly up the mountain. There, we met a man that was advertising a hostel in the next town that was new and he would even take our backpacks for us. We both sang praises of ¨MUCHAS GRACIAS¨ and went along our way. Today, my body took me further than my mind thought I could go. It was a feeling of triumph for both of us as we reached the nice rooms for the night. So, as I reflect back on every single day of this journey, and even my life thus far, it stands true that if you are still and know that there is a God bigger than our finite minds can imagine, great things happen. We are two days away from Santiago, about 45 km to go! We are now dreaming of cute shoes and clean sheets. We are excited to start the next chapter of our lives using the wisdom we have gained from this long, long hike. We will blog a note of VICTORY soon. Love you all...

02 August 2008

Peaks and Valleys...by ER

I wake up every morning, jump out of bed and thank God for every moment of this trip. For the good times and the more challenging times: they are all necessary. Just as in the walk, I have now seen the highest peak: the legendary Cross of Ferro ( 4,940 ft), the lowest point : bed bugs (altitude unknown). Yes, I Emily White Reid am covered with itchy red bites that I contracted in a hostel bed. It is a common occurence with you are sleeping in a room full of bunk beds with 50 other sweaty, snoring, coughing pilgrims from all over the world. There is no telling what else we have. I went to the hospital today in Sarria where Dr. Angel Calado treated me for free. He was in fact, an angel. When I showed him my bite-ridden back he quickly called in a nurse to give me a shot for the swelling. The funny thing was, she didn´t know which of us was the patient, so she turned to Nik to administer the injection. As you can imagine, she quickly refused the 3-inch needle haha! I was so tired, humiliated and exhausted and needed someone to take care of me and my prayers were answered. It is really amazing that both Nikki and I have been to 3 different doctors since our arrival in Spain and have never had to pay one cent. This is partially because of a long tradition of free services to pilgrims on the camino and because we´re so damn lucky. Thank you all for your prayers and support. We feel it with every step we take.

Vamanos!

We have made it to Sarria, 120 km and 5 days from our goal...we will miss the road so much. I had a question posed to me today that I stumbled over. A German woman asked me why I was here and why I chose to study theology? Two questions I thought I surely knew an extensive answer to. Yet, I fumbled over my words and could say very little. Thus, my quest for the answers began today and I think God delivered. I am here on this camino because there is freedom is risk. There is wonder and excitement that can only come from getting out of your comfort zone--out of control. This has been a wonderful lesson to learn and a vital part of my growth towards who I want to become. The theology question has yet to come fully into place, but what I can explain is that when I think or talk about what I will learn in seminary, it is as if I come more alive and you can hear the energy rise in my voice. I feel so fortunate to be with others seeking to better themselves and how the interact in the world...it is a unique family. I was eager to end my rest and I cannot wait to hit the road again tomorrow. I have too many stories to share from the village of Astorga and the saints that cared for me there. I learned from a British woman how to let go of past things you cannot change; a Aussie man and I discussed the church and how it is still relevant and important to today´s ¨spiritual, non-religious people¨. The list could go on but I know Em wants to write as well. We are glad to be back together, walking along the road side-by-side. This last week has proved to be challenging in every way for both of us. Others have pressed our beliefs both in ourselves, each other and the road we are on. But everytime something difficult comes along, we are blown away by God´s faithful presence to provide EXACTLY what we need at that time. We are in the Celtic territory of Galacia, looking over breath-taking, green mountains and cool air. We still smell and we are looking forward to coming over that hill to see Santiago´s enormous cathedral. May God bless each of you-we think of you every day!

29 July 2008

BAHHHHHHHHH...by NR

I have always been under the impression that if your mind says that you can do it, your body will follow. Well, I have learned that this is not the case, as I write this blog from the prideful part of me that says the above HAS to be true. Today, I am stuck, I mean, resting in Astorga, Spain. I will spend the next two days here healing and then catch up with Em in Vallefranca. Yesterday, we had the best time listening to nature´s music: the wheat fields whistling, the trees soft song and the sound of accomplishment as we heard our footsteps moving onward. The last couple of km´s left me talking aloud, coaching my feet to keep moving. Em agreed that our feet were howling and we looked anxiously towards the town in front of us. We hitchhiked the last km, as the heat was unbearable. As the nice (and safe) man dropped us off at the hostel, I could feel my legs shutting down. As we sat down infront of the hostel´s host, he immediately read my emotion. He then showed us his leg, which was ravaged and disfigured from 27 walks through the Camino. Reading the dismay upon my face and the well of tears I held back, he said, ¨My friend, the Camino is not just this road, it is whatever journey your soul takes. The piece of paper when you reach the end just says what you did, but not how the journey played out. I can tell your strong but you need to let your body do the talking for today. Tomorrow, you stay here with me¨. Em and I had a discussion about what to do next and decided together that she would walk on and take good pictures. So, our journey has again led us in two diverged roads, both leading us to life-long lessons that are surely valuable. I woke up today and hugged Em goodbye and a peace came over me about what I was learning at this moment. That is, that sometimes this ol mind needs to learn the value in rest, peace and a lack of control. It is a lesson I thought I learned a couple of weeks ago, but I guess I have further to go. And I am okay with this journey and I look forward to greeting Em with stories of growth and visa versa. God provided Em with Alexa, a Californian to walk with today and Anna from Texas will stay with me until I head out again. We have certainly added angels to this list, thanks be to God.

27 July 2008

Keep on keepin´ on...by NR

We have just finished a long day of walking in the hot sun, but we gave each other ¨high-fives¨ because we weren´t ready to die at the end. My ankle continues to swell but it is improving and Em´s sniffles are going away too. We were quiet today and only laughed when we reached the hostel for the day. I think Em would agree that we are trying to stay focussed for the days ahead and recount what we left behind on the trail. Singing has been at times our only communication, and then there is quiet, deep thought. Then we share what we were thinking and realize, mant times, that we were thinking the same thing. We think of home and funny falls we´ve had in public places, or funny things our parents have done or said. We remind each other how we´ve grown or improved, even since the beginning of the trip. I am learning Spanish, so we practice the street signs as we pass. Today, I was not as slick because I read the ground as we were passing through a town, which said to me ¨zoom¨. Because people are so encouraging to the pilgrims as we pass through their communities, I began to comment on how nice this town might be, that they would even encourage us to zoom forward. Em, being the fluent senora she is, explained that it actually said 200 m (meters). So we are thankful we are here together--growing, laughing and becoming more like our parents everyday! Additionally, we look forward to hot showers with no shoes, to smell nice and to not hear women snore like old men...looking forward to hearing from you all.

25 July 2008

And I will walk 500 miles...by NR

We have arrived to Burgos, Spain, a big city with lots to see. Emily and I were ready to hit this halfway point, as both a sign of our success and the end is in sight! This has been an incredible experience. Waking up and hiking everyday may seem monotonous to some, but I can assure you that we never see the same thing twice. The cathedrals have made us speechless. My love for church history and Em´s passions for art history make for great discussion as we walk through the historical wonders. We are soaking up the culture and learning every moment. Lately, I have been fascinated with the way we are looked at when we first enter a city (by some). It is humbling because you look and feel like a nomad or vagrant that has just entered this new city to take in all it has to offer. Yes, we smell, but our blisters and limp bind us to a community of pilgrims that always make the city our own. Most of the people, especially the hosts of our hostels are so patient when we are aching to get to a bed. All in all, the experience has been overwhelmingly magical in the way that the road becomes alive. It knows how you feel and responds appropriately by giving you a peak when your knees are tired of the steep descend, or sending a cool breeze when your face is hot to the touch...so 12 days is all that is left. We are eager to lay on the beaches of Portugal, and start the next part of our lives with new knowledge and fresh perspective from the Road. We love you all and think of you everyday.

21 July 2008

Angels on the Camino...by ER

It´s true, we do encounter angels every day. They don´t have wings or wear halos of gold, but they do point us in the right direction, give us shelter, prepare our meals and give words of encouragement. Many of these angels are ¨hospitaleros¨ or volunteer workers of the hostels/monestaries in which we have been sleeping. Many of them have done El Camino before and return to the monestary in support of other pilgrims. I am considering signing up to do this while I´m in Europe. It´s so nice to see a smiling face when you arrive in a city and to hear the kind words of someone asking how you are doing while stamping your ¨camino passport.¨ Most of the hostels are free in La Rioja, but others are only 5 - 7 euros or donation only. We found a real oasis today in a small town, Viloria de la Rioja (population 30). An Italian couple have welcomed pilgrims in this hostel for the past 15 years, leaving an impression to all who have been here. The old farmhouse is made of stones and timber and they make a family - style meal for all the pilgrims spending the night. We are about to sit down for dinner right now...I´m sure it will be an interesting conversation amongst all the Italian, Swedish, German, Spanish and English pilgrims staying here.

We officially have a reputation...by NR

Hi all! We have made it to some town three days from Burgos (Em keeps up with that, not me). We are at a nice hostel with our new British friend and our feet are still attached. Em and I feel like our bodies are finally adjusting to the strenuous walks each day. Our feet scream back alittle less and we become stronger with every stride. Today, I was so deep in thoughts of gratitude for the day and what was in front (and behind) me... Emily and I were at mass yesterday, but decided to leave before something awkward happened...then Em dropped her water on the stone floor. We needed to make a big exit! It seems that we always find things funny when we are in the church, as both of us capture the most inopportune (but hilarious) time to do something clumsy. Speaking of making an impression, we now have a reputation. No, we are thankfully not the loud Americans, but we are the ¨American girls that wake up really early!¨ Now, if you know us at all, you will be shocked at this rumor, however, we are usually the first up to beat the heat of the day. We accepted this reputation, started by our German friends, because we knew that it could of been worse. So yes, we are known on the road alreay! We only have 15 days left of walking, which is bittersweet. Thanks for reading, we love you! I better go check on E because this Spanish guy just gave her some ¨strong medicine¨ for her cough! lol.

18 July 2008

Dr. Bronner Lies

I write this blog as a warning to those who might be tempted to buy Dr. Bronner´s ¨magic soap.¨ It claims to clean all - face, body, hair, dishes, clothes and even cars, leaving a refreshing scent of lavender. Don´t be a sucker like me. After 7 days of using only Bronner´s my hair squeaks, my clothes smell like I rolled down one of the mountains we climbed and I am repulsed by the smell. Luckily, Nikki and I both use the same elixir, so we can´t tell whose stinch is worse.

Just a quick note...by NR

Few people have seen me at my ¨finest¨, struggling to even survive another step...but Em handled my physical struggle with such love and care today (as always). We made it to the beautiful city of Losgronos today. We had tapas and my new favorite drink, coca-cola lite (Dr Pepper, I am still loyal to you, but the Spainiards are not). Then, we called our families and received some much-needed affection. As I was trying to explain in an email to my dad, this is by far the most difficult yet rewarding thing I have ever done. Putting my head on the bed each nights fills my mind instantly with beautiful scenery, peaks and prayers from the day´s path. We have also seen some beautiful churches. We always seem to get giggly in the church at some lack of etiquette either one of us has at the moment. But after we straighten up, we sit in awe at the sight before us and the history the air holds in such a sacred place. We love you all...I am going to go ice my (gross) feet!

17 July 2008

Slow and Steady wins the race...by NR

Yesterday´s walk was our most trying yet. Hot, no shade and no destination in sight left the approx. 20 miles we walked to challenging moments! Just imagine, I am limping trying to get to the next morsel of shade and Em asked me a question. I told her as nicely as I could that I didn´t have anything good/nice to say, so I would just be quiet. Then, Em proceeds to sing ¨Smile! ´Cause you know God loves you!¨ I can look back now and be amused but at the time, it took all I had not to hit her with my hiking pole! HA...But really, it is amazing how our lows and highs never hit at the same time. When I am down, she picks me up, no matter how annoying the song or dance. I think she would say the same, that we have worked well together as a team. We have met people along the way that have come with friends and ended up walking alone...that´s not us at all. Today, we ended early as our bodies in many ways have told us to stop. Even our stubborn ways were no match for walking another 20 miles. We keep passing the same friends, which is so nice. It is nap time now, but I am home sick for some hugs so thanks for keeping up with us. XOXO

15 July 2008

The silent partner speaks...by ER

First of all, thank you VERY much for your encouraging posts, prayers and positive thoughts. Nikki has done such a great job at blogging, while I have served as the official photo journalist of the trip (I promise to put some pics up soon) haha! Yesterday we saw the legendary festival of San Fermin, patron saint of Pamplona, otherwise know as ¨The Running of the Bulls.¨ It was just as chaotic and rowdy as I expected. We woke up at 5 am, or normal waking time, to be in the city by 7. I think everyone in the city was still buzzed from the night before, except us of course. When we entered the main plaza, we were pushed around the sea of red and white bull runners, trying to hold on to our bulging backpacks...we looked ridiculous. We found the perfect spot to watch the bulls run out of the gates and see the city choir sing their chants before the run. It was incredible. Imagine a city of 20,000 people being occupied by 2.3 million for one weekend...es una locura!! Luckily, we survived the event unwounded and went on our pilgrim path for the rest of the day. I want to share with you a bit of my overall experience en El Camino: I never could have imagined the diversity beautiful sights we´ve seen thus far. Every day is a different landscape, new people and a fresh state of mind. I never thought I would be able to walk for 8 hours a day in the rain or sun and have that be my only goal, besides finding a bed at the pilgrim hostel before they fill up. The first few days, it was so dangerous, foggy, rocky, slippery and grueling. We´ve gone through the thick forest, alongside the highway and my most favorite so far, the wheat feilds of Navarra province. I wouldn´t change a bit of it, even the cold an rainy portions. At night all the pilgrims get together, share war stories, nurse our wounds and get to know eachother. We´ve been hanging out with Spanish and German people mostly. The other night we stayed in a tiny monestary run by a 70-year old man. It didn´t appear to be much from the outside, but the doors open to a beautiful sanctuary, rose garden / courtyard (where everyone washed and dried their clothes) and the back house was equipped with bathrooms and 36 beds. We all shared a meal together and we laughed so hard I cried. I love meeting other pilgrims and finding out their stories...how they found out about El Camino and where they plan to walk. We all begin our days at different times, pass eachother, wait for eachother, salud eachother from afar, knowing that each have unique rythms and speeds. We arrive separately to the pilgrim hostels, but dream together at night, and rest our tired feet, in preparation for the challenge of the next day. It is a lovely, simple life.

Weird tan lines...blisters and lots of BULL!...by NR

I speak for the both of us when I say that we are enjoying your affection through your posts. It is like a hug from home! Well, I cannot begin to describe all that has happened. What I can say is that we feel so fortunate to be living this experience. There are stones along the way that fellow pilgrims have set in place near the signs pointing us to the next village. They are a symbol of what we are leaving behind, negative energy or just anything weighing on one´s thoughts. E and I have both been able to lay several burdens down and become a part of centuries of pilgrims that use this time to reflect. It seems that when we are the most worn out and wanting to quit, a gust of wind hits our face or a butterfly (grams) crosses our path. We both have handled the trip differenty, which evens us out quite nicely. Em leads and helps her stuboorn friend to know when to break. I set a steady pace. Emily has used her amazing spanish skills to mingle at every stop, while I have been somewhat to myself, just thinking. Being the Americans that we are, we have the heaviest pack of our fellow friends. Today, we mailed 10kg to pick up at the end of our journey so we feel like new people with old blisters and weird tan lines. We have past Pampolona (and YES we ran, I mean saw the running of the bulls, which em will write about)! I feel like if I go on much further I will become even more random in my writing. In short, we are feeling good and going strong!

12 July 2008

After a bit of experience...by NR

Trying to write creatively at this moment presents a great challenge for me, as I am tired beyond measure. We have had the best stories created by this adventure. The first day of walking, we started out strong and excited. When we got past perhaps the most difficult climb, I began to get very sick. Throwing up several times and having no strength to continue, Em decided that we needed to change plans. (I was sick enough that I put up little arguement!) Christina was sitting at the bar of the one water stop we had for the day. She happened to be driving to our next stop and volunteered to take me for 15 euros. Being Barbara´s daughter, I had attracted a women pilgrim that was crying and wanted to travel with me down the mountain. Don´t worry, I sent Emily with our new friend, Dianna, who promised to not leave her side. We were both upset but decided that God had a story planned for this day, and boy did sHe! As I traveled down the mountain by bus, we had to stop every few miles to let me vomit (excuse my forwardness.) The¨lost soul¨ that joined me continued to cry and say how she no longer wanted to live. I asked Christina to drop me off at the bus station, but she would not leave me alone with the depressed woman. So she waited as I prayed with this 40 year old woman who needed agape type love and grace, and sent her on a bus to her home on the promise that she would seek help. After I took care of her, Christina gracefully took care of me. She brought me to the doctor, where I got a shot for infection (altitude sickness?) and the doctor sent me on my way. Then we went to her house where I took a nap and she made me hot tea--a true saint! After we left her home, she drove me to the next town where I would meet Em. Both the doctor and Christina asked me to pay NOTHING. I´ve never been so glad to hug Emily´s neck as she came over the last hill to meet me in Roncevalles. It was wonderful because as Pilgrims would come in they would say, ¨please, let me buy you a Sprite to stay well¨ and gave me updates of when they had last seen Emily and Dianna. Emily had a wonderful adventure too as she overcame a huge peak of the walk and was able to do some meditation for the road. The community we have, whether it is through the blisters and stench we share, or the smiles we exchange, is incredible. But what has been most interesting to me is that we travel with many who are so lost, looking for purpose at 40 and 50 and 60. I am so thankful to have a purpose, a foundation to grow from now. I found myself at first apologizing for my faith or confidence in my future. Not lasting long, I now just love and give what kindness I can (even though I too am learning A LOT). So physically, we are doing good. We hurt by the end of the day but love the exhilaration of the accomplishment. And by the way, Em and I have decided that we are tough. Together, we are really a good team. Jerry (Em´s dad) has certainly rubbbed off on his daughter, as she plans EVERYTHING, which has kept us well-prepared. And I have suprised myself by being the relaxed one, which suits me better and I hope that I can continue the trend upon my return. We have fallen (ok, so just Emily has fallen-ha!) but getting back up or getting over a peak that looked impossible is a fantastic reward. I have learned so much about where I am headed and we have merely begun the journey. God is teaching me to not fear trusting in something bigger than what I can control or conceive, to finish well and worship in even small opportunities. Emily is learning to love herself more--to see herself as beautiful, like we all do. We love you all. We are doing well--no, GREAT! We will continue to depend on your prayers for safety and mental endurance. Just as a few last details, it is raining and a bit cold. The hostels are clean and we love the fellowship. Our clothes will not fit for much longer as we feel like we are melting away...please look forward to our nude pictures on the beach in Porto (just kidding dad!!). Ok, time for sleep...it´s 8pm.

08 July 2008

A few thoughts for the road...aka therapy for NR

I am overwhelmed by the mountain we sit beneath, both in great anticipation and fear. For those of you who know me (Nikki) well, you know that I am not in control and struggling with utter dependence. Perhaps it is the blister on my fourth toe or the fact that my belonglings will be carried on my back for the next month. Whatever the case, I am thankful to be in a place of humility, wonder and well, weakness. My faith in a God that thinks far more creatively than I could ever dream is growing literally with each step. I guess I just needed to write because I want this blog to be an experience felt beneath the grandeur of our attempt to walk 500 miles. I would like it to connect us in a way that helps us all to realize the beauty in simplicity, adventure and great faith. Em and I were talking on the lawn of a beautiful cathedral in Toulouse today; we talked about what we hope to accomplish in these next strides. We are very similiar in our desires to grow spiritually, shrink physically and ultimately love who we are as creation. She decided that she will be the photographer for the blog and leave the writing to me--my apologies ahead of time! Anyway, I am certain that the blogs to follow will be short but I want them to be honest. Pray for our hike tomorrow. It will be hot, early and the highest elevation on our trip. The two of us are not known for our grace when walking, so up and downhill should produce quite the story...

A journey already...by NR

Well, we made it to Paris and now Toulouse, France. We are safe, jet-lagged and having fun. Emily's friends from France have been welcoming and will certainly become new Facebook friends of mine. Preparing to leave tomorrow to begin our walk is emotional to think about. Em and I look at each other a lot to confirm that each believes that we can succeed in this endeavor. Personally, I feel a huge sense of wonder about what lies ahead...the nikki that is before me, if you will. Em and I thank you for posting comments. That will certainly become our source for comfort while away. We both agree that we couldn't have asked for better people in our lives. One of us will write again soon...perhaps after we reach Pampolona for the Running of the Bulls! Chao!

27 June 2008

The Beginning...by NR

October-ish, 2007...We were sitting in Em's car after one of our drives around Sherman in hopes of solving the world's problems, including our own. The ultimate question came: "What are we to do next?" Randomly, Emily said that she wanted to walk across Spain before she went to the Netherlands for graduate school. I (Nikki) was lost and looking for adventure, so I added a hesitant, "I'll come!". Without much detail, we went our separate ways and began to research independently. As months passed and the time grew near, I was no closer to knowing where I was headed and Em had a few things up in the air for her own life. Yet, we were determined and engrossed in the idea of the journey both as friends and individuals. We told our parents bits and pieces along the way, only to hear mixed reactions but overall support. Sure, there were certainly the questions such as, "What are you two thinking?" and "Can't you just go to Mexico for a week?" But we booked the tickets a little over two months ago, beginning the reality of it all and the intense research into what we were signing up for. Emily has made sure we are on track while Nikki has made lists and safety rules. We were accepted into our graduate programs (Em in the Netherlands for Art History; Nik in Seattle for Seminary) and quit our jobs; hugged our parents and bought a lot of blister-care gear. In our own ways of preparing, we have confidence that it will all come together to make one amazing trip. Emily and I will both be using this blog to share bits of our journey along the way. Em and I will undoubtedly have different versions of the same story, so we will make sure both sides are heard! We hope you can join us in laughter, tears, lessons and PRAYER. Check out the information on the side. See you all in 500 miles! Buen Camino!