The Grand Canyon

We decided since we were so close to go ahead and see the Grand Canyon.  Wow, I'm so glad we did.  It was beautiful and we had a great time!  Taylor kept saying, "it's so deep!"  It was amazing and so pretty.  I'm so glad I packed jackets for us, we needed them. 

There were quite a few people there, but it wasn't too crowded.  We found a few nice people who took some great pics of us as a family! 

This picture looks like they are standing in front of a backdrop, but it really is the Grand Canyon!  So many people commented on Jackie's shirt that day.  I was so surprised.  We heard so many wonderful stories about people and how the Lord changed their lives!

This pic really shows how windy it was in some places.  I took so many pictures of the Canyon, but I know everyone has seen them in movies or on postcards before, so I'll save them for someother time.

I'm so happy!  Jackie is a great husband and we have so much fun together!  This trip was so good to get away and just have time to enjoy being together.  Our life is so fast-paced with school and all the other things we do, it was so nice to not be in a rush.  We got to take the whole day just exploring and laughing and enjoying the beauty God created!

We got to see the sunset over the Grand Canyon, wow!  Talk about amazing.  It reminded me so much of how I used to feel watching the sun rise over the lake at church camp.  There is something magical about being able to watch the sun rise and set.  It was so beautiful!

Taylor was tired, but was such a trooper, she had so much fun!  She did so good just looking around.  Someday Jackie wants to go back and camp out there, we were going to this time.  I am very glad I got to sleep in the comfy hotel bed and not with the bugs outside, but I do like camping!

Just in time for Father's Day. . . This picture is proof that there is more to being a Father than just genes!  Thank you Jackie for being such a great Daddy!!

The trip home

As we left, we decided to stop and visit Montezuma's castle.  I have been wanting to see as many national parks as possible and we have done quite a few so far.  Taylor was really excited about seeing a castle.  I had no idea what we would find, but it was really neat. 

It was very hot outside and we took a quick break in the shade before we continued on.  It was not very far off the highway which was the neat part.  Just off the very busy interstate was this amazing-ly preserved piece of history.

We got Taylor a disposable camera for the trip.  I should have known one was not enough.  She took four cameras full of pictures.  It was so funny seeing her take them.  She put the camera on her forehead so she could still see what she wanted a picture of.  I can't wait until we get them back from being developed.  It was so neat to see how her little mind worked and what she really wanted to preserve in film.

She wanted to read all the little signs.  She has really begun to understand that the letters make words and the words can tell us a story.  So, she wants to read everything, much like her mama! 

Taylor got a little tired of walking, so Jackie and I put her up on our shoulders.  She has such a fun personality.  She made many friends on our trip.  She's very outgoing and chatty.  I love being able to have real conversations with her and be able to really talk about important and silly stuff!  I always think whatever age she is at is the best, but Jackie and I are really loving this time!

Lord, Thank you for these two amazing people.  I pray for your blessing and protection all over them.  Please help me to be the wife and mother you desire for me to be!  I pray that Taylor will grow to love you and someday she will make the decision to ask you into her heart.  I am so blessed to have this amazing family!  It's so much better than I could have ever dreamed!  Thank you, Father!

Arizona, Phoenix

Last month we took a road trip.  We went to see my grandparents and aunt in Arizona.  Taylor said we were going to "Arizona, Phoenix."   It was very funny.  We got in the car as soon as I got off work on Friday and drove to Albuquerque, NM.  We got there really late.  We had been saving money for one of those portable DVD systems for the car. It was a lifesaver. Taylor watched Thomas the train and Dora so many times.  We also looked out the window and saw many pretty things.

Then we sang songs and made silly faces.

We really had a lot of fun getting to talk and laugh together.  Taylor did so good on the long trip!  We got to my aunt's house about 9 o clock Texas time.  The worst part of the trip down there was drving into Phoenix the road was shut down to one lane because of construction.  It took us about two hours to drive 30 miles.  I was so thankful to not live in the big city anymore.  I sure don't miss the traffic!

Taylor was so happy to see Granddad when we finally got out of the car.  She knew he was going to be there but was still surprised to see him somewhere other than Texas.  Taylor had so much fun on this trip.  She is still telling me how awesome it was.  Taylor had always called my Granddad, "Other Granddad."  Its so funny because she had two Papaws but it never bothered her, but two Granddads would not work in her mind.  So, she started calling him "Other Granddad."  I just love this smiling picutre of the two of them!

Sunday morning we got up early and got ready and took Taylor to breakfast at the Waffle House.  This was a huge deal.  Everyday on the way to school we drive by the Waffle House and Taylor wants to stop.  We have never taken her there.  So, naturally, on vacation you do the things you can't do at home.  So, we had breakfast at the Waffle House.

 

Taylor wanted to talk to everyone there.  A group of people came in and sat in a booth behind us.  They got their food and began eating.  Taylor said, "Excuse me, but you forgot to pray!"  Thankfully they were very nice.  I was so proud of her, but got to talk to her about sharing Jesus with others and how some people don't accept him.  I was so proud of my little 3-year-old witness!! 

Granddad had a stroke the week before we came out to visit.  That's the reason Dad had been out visiting.  He has so many therapy things to do.  So we gladly stepped in to help.  One of the things he needed to work on was his sight words and reading.  My cousin had brought over some flash cards so Taylor wanted to help Other Granddad.  Graddad was such a good sport.  He was struggling to read the words, and Taylor couldn't hold the card still enough.  But it was fun and we all laughed, which was more important than the words anyways!

Taylor had been such a good sport and a big helper we decided to take her bowling.  She loves to go bowling, but we don't do it very often because all the bowling alleys here are so smokey.  The next day she is always sick and has a hard time breathing, so it was a great treat to go on vacation.  Plus, the bowling alley was smoke-free!  It was so much fun!

She picked out her own ball and was so excited!  It was about 11 o clock Texas time once we started to play.  Taylor was tired, but so excited she stayed up and was very good. 

Jackie and I helped her bowl a lot in the beginning, but by the end she was getting the hang of it.  A few times she didn't throw it hard enough and we had to throw another ball to knock hers all the way to the end of the alley.  It was still fun.  She won the first game, but I creamed them on the second game! :)

One of our favorite times of the day was taking Grandmother outside for a walk.  Granddad would always take her outside for a walk.  I was amazed at how tan she was from it.  Taylor had to have a hat and glasses just like GG. 

I know it was rough on their schedule having us there, but everyone did so good.  We were originally planning on leaving on Tuesday morning, but stayed until Thursday night instead.  It was so worth it.  We switched to a different hotel, one with a swimming pool for Taylor.  We went swimming so many times and she loved it!  We went in the mornings and late at night in the dark.  She loves the water so much. 

She wanted Granddad to read books to her, but he was having a hard time, so Taylor read the books to him instead.  It was very cute.  She was very concerned about making sure they were doing ok.  She stood at the doorway and watched Eric, the physical therapist work with Granddad.  She remembered most of the exercises and helped Granddad and me work on them.  I wish I would have snapped a pic of that, but I was too busy making sure Granddad didn't fall. 

We had a great time, and I'm so glad we got to take this trip and spend so much time visiting with them.  Jackie was able to get to know them a little better.  It was also a great time for me to share my childhood memories with him and Taylor.  We were so glad to be able to help out for a few days.  Taylor is so blessed to have relationships and memories with her great-grandparents!  Hopefully we will get to do this again!