Unexpected Arizona

 
 
 
 


Isaiah the Cutie Pie is now seven weeks old, although these photos were taken last week, when he was six weeks old. He's just begun to smile and laugh (as in the second photo, where his auntie is holding him). He is an absolute joy and holding him and staring back into his inquisitive eyes is so therapeutic. And you've gotta love that hair!!!

Although I didn't want to do much but be with my family and have the freedom to cry the first few days I was at home, my mom suggested a trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I'd never been the North Rim before, just the South. My grandparents joined us and after driving to my parents' mountain house in Payson to spend the night, we set out for the Grand Canyon bright and early the first morning. I have dozens of amazing photos, of course, but here are a couple of my favorites. We stayed in a cabin overlooking the Rim (the first thing my mom did was move the beds in front of the window so we could watch the sunrise)and I spent hours sitting by the Rim writing, chatting or just thinking.

Mom and I hiked down into the Canyon. We went down about three miles (two hours) and back up (three hours). My mom struggled quite a lot with breathing on the way up, but she's a trooper! She made it. I could have kept going but was glad by the time we got back up to the top that I didn't have to. We rewarded ourselves with showers (my, how that red dust soaks into your skin) and Irish coffees drunk by the side of the Canyon. I'm holding mine in this pic taken on the overlook.