this summer has to be one of my most favorite. at the beginning of the year, i prayed asking for specific words for 2013.  i got 4 words.  i asked for 3 but got 4.  the 4th one is truly a hearts desire for me but i realize i have stuffed it and kept it hidden (maybe not?).....the 3 words are irrelevant for this post, but the 4th.....ah.  the word was travel.  i actually tried to dismiss it, but realized i just couldn't and be true to myself.  i won't go into all the travels i have done this year that make that word so meaningful, but one of the trips was red river, new mexico....we actually went 2 times this summer.

the first time we went, we stayed pretty close to base and helped how and when we could for the purpose we went.  the second time, i realized i was missing out on some things that were important to me, personally.....

in the valley of red river, the town, the sun rises and sets beyond the mountains.  we are in a bowl like setting and i never saw a full sunrise (not that those usually fit my schedule) or a full sunset.

we have one day completely to ourselves during the week of activities we went up for.  i told the kids to be prepared to be gone from early (was not going to torture them for the sunrise) til after the sunset.  everyone was game......until the waiting game came along.  LOL....by about 5 they were READY to go home.

we  i, i mean, WE had a blast.  we ate out, got baked goods from a top rated bakery, shopped, got ice cream from our favorite place in taos, drove around and saw sites and then drove up the mountain to the ski area.....we hung out there for a bit and on the way back down, we saw a black bear.  that was pretty exciting and got everyones blood pumping just a bit.

while we were up on the mountain, the complaints began.....the need for a bathroom, the 'i'm bored' s started, the questions of how long this was gonna take and what time was it (they all have phones and watches, mind you), and 'when did i say we were going home?'.....

this all started to chip away at me and at the same time it began to cloud over and rain.  i thought 'well, cr@p....let's just hang this one up'....so we started down the mountain and that's when we saw a bear.

excitement....but no picture ;)

then, as we made it to the foot of the mountain the kids pointed out the rainbow.  they got so excited....everyone was taking turns out the sun roof, taking pictures.

we made our way to the gorge bridge.  i really wanted to see the sunset from there, but realized once there that the hill we were on would block us from seeing the sun hit the horizon.

that's when the fun really began.  we raced back to the car and fled through the open roads to a spot we could see the sun set.  windows down, breezes blowing....it was so much fun.  everyone was laughing and watching the sun and having a great time.

i realized after the sun had gone down beyond taking pictures, that i was teaching my children to capture the miracles of God that we take for granted every day.

sunrises.

sunsets.

butterflies.

bears.

rainbows.

river rapids making waterfalls.

each others company.

i know they will tell you today that that day was torture on them.  LOL.  but i also know that that day will be remembered with great joy.  maybe not in my lifetime, but,

it will.

i know it.