Why I Could Never be a Pioneer.

I wonder if the pioneer women used pine tar for their itchy pregnant bellies. It smells like a camp fire, but it's supposed to work wonders.

So, I’ve developed this insanely itchy rash on my belly. Apparently it’s fairly common during late pregnancy. Awesome, right? My new friend the rash and my old friend the aching hip have been keeping me up for hours on end in the middle of the night. Last night, in my state of misery, I got to thinking about pioneer women and how on earth they trekked across the country in the worst possible conditions, caring for small children, losing loved ones, and birthing babies along the way – all in very heavy dresses and poor shoes, mind you.

As a scrawny 12 year old, I had my first experience sleeping in a tent up in the mountains. It was cold, one of my tent mates peed her pants every single night, and I was deathly scared of being attacked by a bear. All in all, I was about as miserable as I could possibly be. I didn’t dare go camping for five years after that. This was church girls camp, people. Plush and comfortable in comparison to what the pioneer women were working with. 

I don’t even think we can begin to imagine the pain and hardship that the pioneers (especially the women) went through. In comparison to a pioneer woman, I am pretty sure I’m about as weak as they come. I can barely handle three hours of Disneyland with Piper before I feel like I might lose it. I don’t do well in the cold, or the heat (thank you Southern California for year-round nice weather).  I can’t really handle being hungry. And these days, I can’t even manage to get dinner on the table most nights. I’d have to give myself two thumbs down when it comes to my pioneer skills.

As I sit here in my cozy cotton sweatshirt and my ergonomic chair, I can’t help but feel thankful I’m not a pioneer. And I can’t help but sit in awe of those pioneer women for having the faith, strength and endurance to get up and carry on, even when faced with the most difficult challenges. When times are tough, because we all have our own hardships, I hope I can remember my pioneer heritage so I too can pick myself up, dust off my bloomers, and carry on.