Just call me Nervous Nellie! Or maybe Prayerful Patty.

Our trip to Montana is coming up quickly... we leave in a matter of weeks. I confess I am definitely bringing it before the Lord in prayer, which is not something I usually do before any other 'vacation' (not considering the prayers for safe travel made hastily in the car or on the plane). Why? I'll tell you why:

1. First of all, I'm nervous about whether I'll be able to keep up. Brian keeps dosing me with dire warnings about 'breaking in my hiking boots' and 'getting in great shape' for the hike. We found out that we'll be heading to the mountains instead of the foothills (we'd hoped for the latter), which means the terrain will be much rougher as we walk all day long looking for elk. I've never been on a hunt like this and the last thing I want to do is slow Brian down.

2. I'm worried that I won't enjoy it. We'll be bathing in a river, going to the bathroom in the woods, eating beef jerky and granola bars for ten days straight, and sleeping in a tent. I love camping, but I've never camped quite like this. I'm committed to NOT complaining, but I don't want to give off a vibe of misery.

3. The main reason I'm praying for this trip is that, unlike another vacation that simply involves relaxing, this trip comes with a pretty big goal: kill an elk with a bow. Of course, I'm not doing the killing, but like any wife of a hunter knows, it's a pretty gloomy cloud that descends when the game is not making itself available. Brian is an excellent hunter, and I've told him that if we come home empty-handed it certainly won't be for lack of trying and preparation. BUT if we come home empty-handed, it probably won't be a pleasant flight. Please, Lord, send us a big bull!

4. I'm also praying diligently because, as our plans develop and grow, I'm discovering that I'm not just a tagalong on this hunt - I'm going to be the other member of (as Brian said earlier this morning) a "Call & Stalk Tag Team Duo". This involves me learning how to make a variety of realistic elk sounds using a funny little mouth whistle as well as intuitively knowing when to use which sounds. In addition, I'll need to ensure I'm the right distance away from Brian as he takes his 'shooting lane', crawling on the ground if necessary to remain out of view while also trying to sound like an angry mama cow/endangered baby/horny mating elk (depending on the situation) at the same time. While this all may sound exciting and challenging to someone more inclined to kill stuff, I'm just sitting here in awe of all the possibilities I'll have at my fingertips to screw up the entire hunt. I'm feeling a distinct lack of, oh, ten years elk hunting experience or so.

5. I have no idea what I'm going to wear. Isn't this always a woman's dilemma? Except in this case, I'm not concerned about fashion as much as Brian's offhanded comment that I could 'borrow' his clothes. Am I really going to be trekking over hill and dale while swimming in his camouflage? Yikes!

EDITED to add five things I am LOOKING FORWARD TO!

1. Enjoying some gorgeous scenery and taking pictures with my awesome new camera.
2. Having the opportunity to visit a new place and have a new experience!
3. Hopefully seeing some friends - spending time with their family and new baby.
4. Spending an extended length of time with Brian - he works a lot and it will be wonderful to be with him for two uninterrupted weeks.
5. Having an opportunity to bond with Brian in a totally new way. I've never been a part of his hunting experiences (other than helping butcher the animal after the fact) and if it does go well, I think we will have some pretty awesome stories to talk about for quite some time!