back home again

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged! We are finally home from our adventures west and settling into the temporary rental property that will be our home for the next few months. We are so happy to have our puppy dog back with us, and I think she might agree, too!! Unfortunately, Al the cat ran away early in the summer, so he is no longer part of our family. We were pretty put-out about that, but hope that he has found a new home somewhere with people that loved him as much as we did. We have not lost anytime in beginning the "house hunting" journey, as we looked at 5 houses just yesterday! There is one prospect, but it is still too early to tell. Patience is key, as well as trusting the Lord! He will provide in the right timing. We have dug back into work here at Heartland, as there is much to do in order to prepare for the busy fall season. We were welcomed back with open arms and are glad to be back with our camp family here. However, we do miss the friendships made in the mountains....it is all bittersweet. I will be hopefully posting a few leftover pictures from the summer and then some from our SWEET backpacking trip into the Tetons. We don't have internet yet at the house, so communication may be a bit slow for a bit :) Well, we are grateful for all of the prayers and friends & family who have seen us through this summer journey. And now begins the next chapter! Adios, mis amigos...

Blue Lake!!!!

The "Red Truck" Group...best ever!!! Greg is a crazy driver!!!

Joe standing beside is trusty truck...hardly recognizable from when we started!

Last weekend we took our annual (and infamous, might we add) trip to Blue Lake via camp trucks full of staff. The whole trip takes about 10 hours to complete...and this is quite the feat, as we only travel about 48 miles round trip! We had the time of our lives as we all piled into 5 camp trucks lined with old matresses and trekked up the mountain side on "primitive roads" that made us wonder if we should really be taking vehicles up there!! Joe got to drive the white flatbed truck this year, which he LOVED and says that he is now addicted to off-roading and wants to get a bit truck when we get home :) I just smile and nod. The best part is when we stand up in the back and scream as the trucks splash through huge mud puddles (or should I say lakes!). Lets just say we come home a bit on the dirty side from this trip. The scenery is amazing as we climb elevation. Sticking with tradition, we stop at Solomon City (an old abandoned mining city) and eat lunch together. Finally around 2:30 pm we arrived at Blue lake and then jumped out of the trucks to begin the infamous ascent to the top of Monument. This mountain is 10,999ft in elevation and quite the trek to the top. But we did it 2 years ago, so we knew we could do it again. The hike itself is not that hard, however, due to the elevation we are at, our lungs are grasping for air with each step, it seems! The top of the mountain is amazing...you can see for forever, it seems. We stood on a pile of rocks, basically, with the steep sides cutting away at every angle. Now we can say that we have climbed a mountain, twice!!! The wildflowers were beautiful up there, covering the hillsides, and Joe began singing "The hills are alive..." as we climbed :)

By the time we are almost home, we are pretty tired of bumpy roads, but satisfied in the adventures of the day. Dirty staffers head into the dining hall for one more tradition...Bagel Pizzas and Ice Cream. We all turn in early for the night and have earned a well deserved rest!!!

A successful Blue Lake trip, once again.

Blue skies and crisp whites...

Laundry

clean fresh

blowing drying hanging

breezy sunshine laughter blue skies

waving dancing refreshing

colorful peaceful

Laundry

4 Year Anniversary!!!

We had a wonderful evening the other week, celebrating our marriage and life together as husband and wife for 4 years!!! Joe surprised me with a 4-wheeler ride (we borrowed some from friends at camp) and we rode up to the Boulder Fields (about an 8 mile ride). From there we hiked down to the river, crossed into it, and went fishing in one of our most favorite spots!!! It was a beautiful evening...sun was sparkling across the water and the fish were biting! Joe caught about 15 and I caught 10...wow! We even had a picnic dinner to enjoy, followed by a scrumptious Huckleberry soda. We fished until late, and then drove back. What a way to spend the day celebrating. Especially here in the Mountains. Praise the Lord He brought us here...we have been challenged in our marriage at times, but that has brought understanding and more love because of it. We are truly learning what it means to put others before ourselves. And how to continue to pursue each other in our own relationship, even though it may seem like there is no need for that. Oh but there is!! Our Heavenly Father never stops pursuing our hearts, so why should I stop pursuing Joe's, or He mine?? :) Thank you for teaching us, Lord! And thank you for allowing us to teach others along the way. It seems we have shared our story (dating/relationship) with many of the counselors and crew this year and I hope and pray it benefits them in some way or another. We didn't do things perfect, thats for sure. But I think we tried our hardest (and still do) to let God lead the way in our relationship, and it is exciting to share that with other young adults who are considering what God might have in store for their own relationships.

So yes, it has been an amazing journey for the both of us. The years continue to go by so quickly...I want to cherish the moments and savor the memories for sure. We are so blessed to live life with our best friend at our side.

Creation Sings...

Thank you Father, for giving us this amazing Creation to enjoy. We are so blessed to walk out the door and look into the mountains that surround us. And as we wander down to the river, the beauty is overwhelming at times. And to think...You didn't have to create this for us. But you did...and it shouts Your glory and Your love for us. We stand in awe of the one who gave it all. This place is breathtaking, Lord. The works of your hand are wonderful.