Rocky Mountain High in Colorado...

We took to the mountains last weekend

 to catch our breath

to slow down for a moment

and 

just Be.

 Nature did not disappoint.

 We grabbed our coats, packed some food 

and started driving

without a plan,

no expectation.

Colorado mountains are beautiful

north and south

so we could fly by the seat of our pants

and our souls would still end up 

wonderfully

dilirously

fed...

 I felt my cares ever so gently being lifted off,

the golden aspens demanded attention

from all of my senses.

Fall + Aspens + Mountains= Euphoria

Welcome to the Cathedral of the Aspens...

let go,

come sit a spell,

find your "you" again... 

 As Mr. Wonderful and I sat on this ridge,

I felt the first emotional release rise in my throat

and sure enough,

tears well-up...

 I squeezed my man,

"Don't ever take me away from here. I love this land too much."

 These trees,

these glorious symbols of god's perfect design in nature,

open my eyes

and fill my heart with 

gratitude

for the blessings I have been given.

 These yahoos have to endure a life with a sentimental mother

who directs their eyes to look for the

wild beauty

and be grateful! dang it!

 These kids who've been at each other's throats 

since school started,

actually laughed and embraced 

welcomed each other back into their sphere...

 That's what happens when the Aspens call out to you...

all the good stuff that's been tucked away

under school schedules and team practices,

homework and house chores

pile up and squish your guts.

 Yahoos "photo bomb" one another's special pictures...

 And complete happiness wiggles right out of you....

 so that mom only gets one "good" picture for our missionary whose far away in New York.

 With the fall weather so mild still,

the boys packed their flyfishin' gear

 Is it really October already? In Colorado? 

 Give that boy a fishin' line, Pa.

 Pretty sure this boy's got the world by the tail right now....

 The Platte river was movin' slow and so low in places, 

this man-child could sit in it and fish...

seriously, 

cool.

 Little girl had to try the weighters on herself...

she waded out in the water,

took a tumble in,

got a little wet,

but when she decided she was alright,

she had a blast!

 This teenager is smiling,

definitely under the spell of the Aspens...

 She completely surrendered to the call of the wild...

A Colorado girl at heart, through and through...

If heaven has a church,

 nature leads the way to get there.

 NO reservations necessary,

but these heavens 

are only open for a season,

so grab your family,

your best flyin' pants

and take a trip 

to 

the Cathedral of the Aspens.