you don't have to push a handcart, 

leave your fam'ly dear

or walk a thousand miles or more

to be a pioneer! 

the first time i saw this illustration it was hanging in my sister, alison's home. i remember loving it from the moment i saw it. at this stage in my life, this painting holds a great deal of significance to me. i feel like i can relate to this woman to a small degree. leaving utah was definitely not easy. i remember driving away holding dylan's hand and passing everything i had grown to love so much, leaving it all behind for someone i had grown to love even more. i was terribly sick and also had shingles at the time which made for a rough journey. all i had to do was sit in a car for two days..absolutely nothing compared to what the pioneers were asked to sacrifice and endure. 

when times get tough, i often remind myself that i come from pioneer stock and that i can do hard things. i have reminded myself of this frequently as labor approaches me and i am downright scared. it is good for us to do hard things, it shows us what we are really made of and boosts our confidence. i am ever grateful for all of the pioneers who have gone before me and shown me the way. 

"you pioneers must have the same faith in every footstep as the pioneers of the past." 

-Janette Hales Beckham