As we say good bye to the Mountains, buttes and other high land formations the kids have had one persistent question, "Has Uncle Ron or Aunt Dawn climbed here?"  The kids are fascinated by the high land forms and are begging for some climbing lessons/experiences.  I dare say there isn't an outdoor experience that they won't try.

Sunday night we arrived in Colorado Springs; as I read the Air Force Academy letter I realized that I would not be able to visit the Academy with Rodger & the kids.  I had lost my wallet and photo ID is required.  So I stayed at the hotel and did mounds of laundry while the Rodger & the kids went to the Air Force Academy.  They really enjoyed their visit- at least that’s what they told me even though I haven’t gotten any exact details on what they did.  All I’ve heard is that they saw the Academy Admissions policy- which they specifically mention home schoolers, they watched the cadets marching and meet one cadet, then hit the visitors center store.

While I was doing laundry I meet a very nice woman who was moving to Colorado Springs from Texas.  We ended up talking about God, her move, out trip, and stuff in general.  It was nice to meet someone that was so friendly and open about God and faith.  Pray for Ann Marie and finding a place to live.

After Rodger & the kids picked me up we went o the Focus on the Family headquarters.  We were meet at the door by Betty.  She warmly welcomed us to the headquarters and was very friendly!  She offered us a free “Adventures in Odyssey” CD but we couldn’t find one we didn’t already have.  Finally she offered us the Official Guide to Adventures in Odyssey.  The kids gladly accepted.  Then we meet a receptionist named Alice and she  had written an episode for the program.  The kids were very impressed and Preston asked for her autograph. 

We took off for the Adventures area of the headquarters.  The kids & Rodger enjoyed the 3-story spiral slide- Rodger once and the kids about 10 times!  Of course they also enjoyed the secret passage to Whit’s End, complete with an Underground Railroad display.  (Listen to the episode about the Underground Railroad to understand about this passage)  The kids played at the little theater and ate ice cream at Whit’s End ice cream shop.  Sumner had the Wodfamchocsod- World famous chocolate soda.  We ended our visit to Adventures in Odyssey by visiting KYDS radio.  We recorded a mini-episode of an Odyssey story.  The kids practiced a few times and then they were “on.”  Sumner recorded the voice of Jamie, Grace was “Casey” and Preston was the Foley artist.  We were given our free CD and told we could copy it as much as we wanted.  Very cool!!!  Of course we couldn’t leave Focus on the Family without doing some shopping at the bookstore.  The hard part was in deciding which Adventures to get.  They also have a new (or at least to us) series called Drive through History.  Sumner really enjoys these DVDs.  I got one as a surprise for him- it even has a book for studying more.

We left Colorado Springs but didn’t get far without stopping for some more roasted chili peppers,  That was our third stop for roasted peppers; if I remember correctly Rodger has purchased 1 1/4 bushels.  Yes, that is bushels and yes, they are firey hot!

Anyway made it about half way through Kansas before stopping for the night.  Tuesday morning we drove the last 2 hours to Fort Osage, MO where we saw a reproduction of the 1809 fort that Merriweather Lewis & William Clark had built after they returned form their cross country trip.  This fort was the longest running “factory” (the term used for the place used for trading between traders and Indians).  We then drove east towards ST. Louis.  Got to stop early enough to have a swim before supper and bed.

My apologies to Dorothy, but I know we're not in Colorado, Utah or New Mexico any more.  Along with lower elevations came allergies.  I think I started sneezing the minute we opened the car door in Kansas (and haven't stopped yet).

Wednesday we got up late (9:15) and after breakfast drove the last 2 hours to ST. Louis and the Arch.  That was an impressive sight- you could see it for miles.  Unbeknownst to me, the Arch is a part of a National Monument/park dedicated to Thomas Jefferson.  We saw an excellent movie (45 min) about the Lewis and Clark expedition.  After the movie we took the tram up into the arch.  That was a unique experience; 4 min in a little car that barely holds 5 people, one little window to look out at the cement superstructure, and a jaunty ride that bumps at every transition.  BUT when we got out and looked at the city or river below it was well worth the trip (even though I wanted to walk the steps!)

The museum was small but wonderful.  They had a very unique design and display.  The boys loved the cowboy area and Grace the Indian area.  I loved the Sod House display but one of the best parts was the many quotes that were in each area.  The kids got their final Junior Ranger badge (I think this was their 6^th one for the trip!).  And as usual I left feeling that there was still so much more to see & learn- the courthouse where the Dred Scott case began is in ST. Louis.

Now we are en route to Nashville, TN to drop Rodger off at the airport tomorrow morning.  The kids & I will then drive to Chattanooga to help my mom for a few days before heading home next Wednesday.

As we finish this trip some final thoughts:

1. We’re already discussing when & where our next trip should be.  Thoughts include, but are not limited to, Hawaii, Scotland, California, Costa Rica. HMMMM...

2. Favorite spots/activities…  Sumner- Adventures in Odyssey, Yellowstone- watching Old Faithful, seeing the Black Bear, all the Bison. Preston-  looking out at the top of MT. Washburn.    Grace- getting a tub after a week without one (we did get 1 shower), riding the horses.  Rodger- watching Grace & Dayna hiking into the fire tower of MT Washburn, relaxing at the Roosevelt lodge after the MT Washburn hike.  Dayna- watching the kids learn and loving it, doing so many activities that I once was afraid of, the photo safari at Yellowstone,

3. Worst Experience- Preston- losing Purr, Sumner- missing out the Snake River and losing Purr, Grace- losing Purr, being in the HOT sun of the Badlands & Arches, the wind at the top of MT. Washburn.  Rodger- driving the roads around Yellowstone- very treacherous, searching for campsites or taking down the tent at Yellowstone.  Dayna- losing my wallet.  ANYTHING ELSE STAYS WHERE IT HAPPENED.

Preston is looking forward to getting home and getting a new cat- a kitten may help him to feel that love and comfort that only a little ball of fur can offer, but no cat can ever take Purr’s place in our hearts.  Sumner is looking forward to seeing Timi again and being back inn his own bedroom, Grace is looking forward to any and every part of being home (she was ready to be home after just 1 week of the trip).  Rodger may not be looking forward to taking his NRC exam but I’m sure he can’t wait to be back at the work he loves and is so good at.  Dayna is looking forward to redecorating the living room, moving the home school room and getting settled into a routine- whatever we as a family decide to do this school year, and seeing her church family at PMOC. 

Lastly I thank God for the safety He has provided on our trip for the mercy he has extended during all of our activities and when we lost our things, and for this amazing country he has made and the freedom to travel it.

 Stay tuned for more pictures- I have more to post but they take a long time to upload!

Hiking the STEEP path from inspiration point

Inspiration point at Jenny Lake

Hidden Falls

The kids straddling the Continental Divide

Hail/snow as we leave Yellowstone on Sunday Aug 16!

Look carefully to find the Bald Eagle.

Possible Coyote footprints Preston found along the banks of the Yellowstone River.

 

A big bull bison blocking the road right in front of us!

Grace found out the fun(?) way how sticky sap can be.

The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone

Rodger & I in front of Lower Falls at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (the kids were tired of getting out to look so we're like newlyweds enjoying the sights alone)

Sumner in front of the main 

Mammoth Hot Springs pool.

Preston (our bear) on top of the 

bears outside of the Mammoth

 post office.

Sunday late afternoon we drove out of Yellowstone and into the Grand Teton national Forest.  The views were truly majestic!  We stopped at the Colter Bay Ranger station.  This was named after John Colter one of the members of the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery.  We got a coupon for the Jackson Lake lodge.  We checked into the most gorgeous hotel I have ever visited.  Their second floor lounge had 60 ft windows that looked out on the Teton mountains.  And the 2 fireplaces were at least 20 ft across and 12 ft deep; I can’t begin to say how relaxing the whole place was.

Monday we got up and hit the trails around Jenny Lake.  Took to boat shuttle across the lake and hiked to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.  The climb was steep with switch backs and narrow, very rocky trails.  Towards the top the trail was 1 person wide with drop offs on the outer side.   But the views were spectacular! (I think I’ve run out of adjectives to describe the beauty and grandeur of the areas we’ve seen.) 

Monday night we were schedules to take a raft down the Snake River.  When we arrived at the river Sumner started throwing up.  I thought we were free from the stomach bug since it had been a week since Grace was sick, but no.  So I took Sumner back to the hotel and Rodger, Preston & Grace went on the raft trip.  They had a great time and saw lots of animals: beavers, moose and night kites.

Tuesday morning I woke up very sick and Sumner complained that it hurt to breathe.  So we quickly packed up and hit the road. Our goal was to 1. Get to a lower elevation  2. Get to a town with a hospital if he still had problems at lower elevation and  3. Get on the way to Arches.   After about an hour Sumner’s medicine kicked in and he was able to breathe more easily so we relaxed a little.  Sadly I was getting sicker.   Despite feeling bad I insisted that Rodger stop at the Butte Fossil National Monument in southwest Wyoming.  I knew the kids would love it and they did.  Actually what they really loved was Ulrich’s Fossil Fish Gallery & Preparatory.  A very nice young woman told the kids that they could go pick out any pieces of scrap shale and search for fossils; she showed them how to split the rock, gave them the tools and they were off.  Preston’s first attempt yielded a huge fish fossil!  Grace had to work a little harder but was rewarded with some wonderful specimens.  Sumner was disappointed that even with all his hard work he never got a great fossil. When he returned his tools and showed the woman his little fossil she explained that he had the head of a fish and if he gently picked at the back of the head area he would probably reveal the rest of a fish.  She then gave him that tool to keep.  BOY, was he a happy boy!  But it was Preston that was the most impressed with the fossil collection.  He asked if it was ok if he became an archeologist instead of a chef when he got older.  He also stated that of all the people he met he really thought the woman was nice and could we give her a tip.

Arrived in Salt Lake City about 8pm on Tuesday.  I could do nothing more than collapse into bed with a raging fever.  I guess Rodger fed the kids and maybe even took them swimming.

Woke up Wednesday feeling much improved, the fever was gone but the stomach was still weak.  But I got up and took off for Walmart to resupply.  Got out of the car and reached for where I kept my wallet only to discover it wasn’t there.  Searched for it but couldn’t find it.  Decided the car was too messy for a proper search so I went back to the hotel and cleaned out the car.  No wallet anywhere.  Plan K (I know we changed our original plans at least that many times if not more) was activated.  Called all the credit/debit card companies- 3- and cancelled the cards.  Major bummer, no more emergency funds available.  Went online to see what I could do about replacing the driver’s license.  (Remember that I was supposed to drop Rodger off in New Mexico and then drive across country)  Turns out you can’t really report a lost license and unless you carry extra proof of residency, etc. then you can’t get a renewal license from out of CT. 

So we changed plans yet again.  Drive to Arches and spend a day there.  Drive to Mesa Verde and spend day there.  Drive to New Mexico and spend the weekend there.  Drive to Colorado Springs for a day.  Drive to Fort Osage in Missouri and then to Nashville, TN.  Rodger would fly out of Nashville and I would drive to my mom’s house 2 hours southeast of Nashville.  I would wait at my mom’s for Rodger to get a new license for me and send it.  Vacation changed but not ruined.

Drove to Arches and arrived about 4PM.  Got a hotel and then drove into the park.  It was –ok I’m getting tired of the word “amazing” but don’t know what else to call it.  The way the light hit the rocks, the shadows, the scale- HUGE, the shapes/formations were all beyond description.  I know a picture beats a thousand words but even the pictures of this place don’t do it justice.  NO exaggeration!  This is just the kind of place you need to experience for yourself.  And I mean experience not see.  You have to get out of the car and walk/hike some of these sites just to see them.  But you need to invest your time and sweat and become part of something bigger than yourself.

We saw the movie at the visitor’s center.  Of course the narrator declared the millions of years it took to make the arches, the fact that there were ancient seas, and that Arches was formed over a salt bed.  Of course the exact same facts support the story of Noah and the flood in the Bible.  I guess people will take the facts and interpret them the way they want.  But as for the children and me, we choose to believe that God is the Creator of this world and that all we see is a direct result of His imagination and goodness.  (Of course this doesn’t mean to imply that Satan hasn’t had his way in destroying what God made.)

Mesa Verde was amazing.  To see all of the cliff dwellings was inspiring!  They were built in such a difficult location and you know they had to carry all of the stones to these cliff sites.  WOW!!  The children were very well behaved on the 4 hour bus tour. Ranger Kevin Lloyd was extremely knowledgeable but interesting in his delivery. 

All of us have been inspired in some way to take what we have seen, learned or experienced and learn more about it.  Surprising to me is my desire to learn more of my maternal grandmother’s Indian (Native American) roots.

Actually it has occurred to me that this vacation has been more about a lot of things than just getting away from the routine.  I have been afraid of doing a lot of things: afraid of heights, speed, my own weaknesses.  But this vacation I have done a lot of things that I would NEVER have taken the chance with before: riding horses, hiking & camping in bear country and white water rafting (more about this later).  But I find myself being surprised by myself and liking what I find.  Of course I haven’t done any of these activities without a lot of prayer and perspiration!

Back at home, Preston’s cat, Purr, performed one of her amazing escapes.  Except this time she didn’t come back when the house sitter was there.  So after 1 week of praying that she would come back I finally had to break down and tell Preston that his beloved Purr was missing.  Preston is the most sensitive, tender hearted, little boys that you could ever know.  His little heart just broke at the news that Purr was gone.  And later that day he sobbed that he could just see Sumner coming home to Timi and Grace coming home to Kelly, but him coming home to nothing.  Purr was truly a wonderful cat and she will be missed by the entire family. 

Despite the time constraints we couldn’t cancel the white water rafting that Preston had asked for as his “must do.”  Especially since he just found out that he lost Purr.  Los Rios River Rafts was a great company and our guide, Scott, was excellent.  Scott was very personable with the kids and got us through all of the rapids and tight spots without incidence.  We did take a few rapids backwards due to a lack of strength from the middle of the raft (think those under 12).  But Scott handled it all in good spirit and was very encouraging to us.  He never made us feel that he got the short end of the stick by getting the family with the little kids.  Just the opposite, he was very enthusiastic about “team Beal”  He even recommended a local restaurant, Orlando’s, that was fabulous!  New Mexican food at it’s best- flavorful for me, spicy for Rodger. 

If Preston fell in love with archeology, then Sumner fell in love with astronomy.  At Santa Fe we did an evening with Peter and his Astronomy Adventures.  It started at 8:30 and went for 2 hours.  I was enthralled, Rodger impressed, Preston & Grace sleepy, and Sumner mesmerized.  He asked good questions and found out that he could even build his own reflecting telescope.  Maybe you’ll see some studying in this area in the future.  But if not then at least he has a new appreciation for God’s creation of things beyond this world.  And as Rodger & I told him on the way back to the hotel, “Not staying with an interest is not failing.  Being lazy and saying it’s not worth the time to learn new things is failure.”

 

 

Grace needed to be anchored by Daddy & Preston to get back down from the summit

Mom & Grace hold on to the summit sign- gusts of wind up to 40mph!

Rodger & the boys at the summit sign

Taking a break on the hike- a much needed rest!

On the stagecoach

After a long, full day Grace snuggles under a blanket while daddy holds her on the Wildlife Tour

Sunset over Lamar Valley

A family of White tailed deer cross the river A black bear looking for berries