Thank you

I hiked high up into the mountains yesterday seeking solitude, clarity, and peace. 

The air was crisp, I met several deer, walked through a continuous, sweeping graveyard of leaves, 

 thought about life, and death, and love,

and my fingers swelled and stung with cold all the way down as the sun set and I was in the shadow of towering canyon walls. 

 Thank you, God, for this stunningly beautiful earth, 

for creating quiet, holy spaces for me, and for the work, joy, struggle, beauty, pain, and questions that are part of living. 

Thank you for filling my life with meaning, and for letting me have the experience of trying to figure things out--however clumsily I do so. 

And thank you for hope and faith, those two lights that always remind me to look higher and believe, trust in the greater story, and watch as things unfold. 

My Not-So-Labor-full Weekend

Dear Cabin,

Here is what we did when we visited you over Labor Day Weekend.

Being in the mountains was heaven.

Made cold lemonade for my dad and dear Mr. C. while they hauled, cut and stacked wood.

(Isaiah and I sat on the porch and ate cookies and drank lemonade and Benj was sleeping.)

Went for a run and got soaking wet in the rain and hail. I don't know if you can tell in the picture, but I am drenched.

Enjoyed Lazy Mornings

Ate big, fat ice cream (my ultimate temptation and joy) cones at the general store in town

Gloried in beautiful nature and fed chipmunks

Delighted in delicious food (including fresh sliced peaches with a bunch of fresh whipped, sweetened cream on top and hot chocolate at night with amaretto cream)

Spent time with family

Got time with this darling (we went on a long, beautiful walk one night while we were there and I felt like we were on a date)

This place is a mixture of memories, warmth, peace and joy to me.

I didn't want to come home.

I am sure you can all see why.