Zion Day 3-4

This trip already seems to have happened ages ago. On the other hand, it feels like our break from school just recently started! Summer is so weird like that. Here's to remembering good days...

The Narrows in Zion National Park

June 2020

We started early and the water was cold, but we were grateful for being able to secure a ride in and beating the crowds. We hiked for over eight hours, numb at times, but beyond thrilled to experience the splendor. We enjoyed it to the very last moment.

On occasion, when the sun hit the canyons just right, we'd find a little sand bar or rock in the sunlight. And though the water was cold, we couldn't resist the emerald green, crystal clear pools in the afternoon light.

My eyes always spot the wild flowers...

Delicate green fern clung to the rock edges. I like this one better in black and white...

Day 4 was our travel day home. We chose to sleep in a bit after far too few hours of sleep on the days prior. We strolled through the shops of St. George, then later made a quick stop in Vagas to drive the Strip and see the fountain display of the Bellagio. Of course we still stopped on occasion for random pictures...

We're loving these summer days around here. Apart from this quick, spontaneous trip with Andrew, we have pretty much been homebound, but we have so much to enjoy right here at our door step. You will find me with a small pack of boys tonight, skipping dinner and jumping from rock ledges into the surf. Well, actually, I may just watch and take pictures. Or maybe just swim. And I'll make them French toast when we get home because they are always hungry.

~Katherine

Zion Day 2

It appears that early morning drives up the coast with a carload of surfboards, food, and boys will be my ticket to sorting and editing pictures this summer. I get to sit in the car with my books and journals, and with my computer and images, until it warms up and the sun comes through the marine layer. I'm not complaining one little bit about this arrangement.

On the other hand, Blogger has recently changed things up again and this has been a little frustrating. I don't have the time or the interest to figure out coding and html stuff. I can no longer apply my usual workflow and I'm going cross-eyed trying to tweak default image settings. I've figured a few things out, but pictures remain wonky on mobile devices. Had I ever imagined I'd be blogging for as long as I have, I might have chosen a different platform!

But for what ever reason, I'm still persisting in this hobby despite all the impetus to stop.

Zion, Day 2

June 2020

I mentioned previously that Covid-19 closures and limitations challenged our strategic planning skills. With the shuttle buses closed and extremely limited parking in the canyons, few cars make it in each day. So we got up shortly after 3 a.m. (felt an hour earlier because of a time zone change) and lined up for park admittance just before 4 a.m. We couldn't believe how many people had beat us there! The park opened at 6 a.m., and I later discovered it maxed out by 6:08. Needless to say, we were among those who got in.

Do what you gotta do in life!  

I've hiked under the stars before, but never in morning twilight. It was absolutely dreamy!

The immensity of the rocks, the depth of the canyons, and the beauty all around were too much for me to capture. The scenery is arresting. It was utterly impossible to look at such splendor and not ascribe majesty and glory to God. For me, natural beauty wells up adoration for the Creator, and such personal peace knowing this creator is my God and Father.

The climb was wonderful. We stopped to explore the crevices some, but we kept our pace knowing that more people would be joining us as the morning progressed. We reached our destination at the exact time the sun crested the mountain across the canyon from us.

Andrew was sitting on the edge of 1070 straight drop. Talk about "arresting" for a mom's heart! I could hardly take the picture!

Yeah, I know I went skydiving this year, but this was freaky! I was so nervous-- 

Andrew was making fun of me here!

One of the most perfect days I can think of...

We kept on passed the main destination because that's how we like to do things... Go further, see what lies beyond, lose the crowds.

Best hiking partner right here!

I love switchbacks! The more, the better! I wondered if they ever host races here...

Sign me up!

My love of the outdoors has often been misunderstood; it has even been implied with sarcasm that I'm a "nature worshiper." Whatever. I'm in good company among the rocks, waters, plants, and creatures-- It always seems to me that we worship the Lord together. 

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy." Ps. 96:11-12

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Rev. 4:11

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." 

Rom. 1:20

~Katherine

Chasing Adventure

Since the time when my kids were little, I have learned to take an opportunity for adventure and respond to any desire requiring additional energy output. Justification for not doing things will always be present, and it's far too easy for me to conclude that duty ought to override pleasure.

But not this time. If I were not mindful of how fleeting these days are with each of my kids, and how soon my opportunities will change, perhaps I would not take a chance at epic memory making. An unusual summer is making way for unusual opportunity, and one such opportunity was to spontaneously take a trip to Zion National Park.

Andrew was the perfect companion and the only one available, since spontaneous vacation from work weren't possible for Jon and my older teens, and Jacob was still recovering in a knee brace. But really, Andrew was the PERFECT companion in every respect. We had the most perfect time adventuring together. In all likelihood, he will be joining the workforce next summer and won't have the same flexibility for such trips again, so that alone was motivation to just GO!

In the midst of all the Covid-19 closures, and all the resulting limitations, we made our best plans, devised some hardcore adventuring strategies, and took off with confidence that no matter how our plans unfolded, there could only be good times. Truly, closures and limitations provided some significant risk that we would not accomplish what we had set out to do, but we prayed expectantly and watched the kindness of God unfold in the most extravagant ways each and every day. This kindness of God– along with the majestic display of his splendor in creation– was the primary takeaway of our trip.

We packed our food, listened to tunes, drove fast, and stopped when we wanted for pictures as we crossed through four states. We maxed out our time and slept minimally. The following pictures were from our first day (which was mostly travel) and some romping around after official park hours. 

No camera could capture the splendor. I urge you to go and see for yourself, if possible!

It felt like Andrew and I shared a brain. Not only were we very aligned on where to go and how to spend our time, we frequently discovered we were both thinking the exact same random thing at the very same time. It was easy to just be; easy to be freely at ease around him.

We wondered what every crevice must look like up close, how deep each cave might go, and how the views must be from every mountaintop. We googled "canyoneering" from the hotel.

Like me, Andrew has discovered the fun (and challenge) of being upside down. Also like me, we think normal poses are overrated. I stood poised by the truck for a moment until that seemed too ordinary.

We pulled over that first evening over and over again, too captivated by the beauty to simply drive through. Then it was back to our room for some re-packing and for the rehearsal of our game plan before a few hours of shut-eye...

I will try to post our second day pictures soon!

~Katherine