Desert Hiking

March of 2010 will be remembered as the busiest and most stressful time in our families history. Ken was traveling each week to many job interviews and then spending the rest of his time frantically finishing his dissertation. Myra, on the other hand, felt the harrowing experience of being a single mom for a short time. (For all of you single mom's out there in this world, super-giant props).

I don't think my sanity would have staid intact if it weren't for the support of family living nearby. Grandma Johnson would often take the kids to give me some respite. And then, for her birthday at the end of March, we took a early morning hike on the back of South Mountain.

When we first moved to Arizona, we lived with Ken's parents until Ken started graduate school at ASU. Those 5 months were so much fun. We swam with baby Otho (who was 6 months old), we went to Hawaii, we found out we were preggo with Abe, and we hiked South Mountain since we were nestled among her foothills.

The hike we took in March was very much like the hike we took 7 years ago when we lived nearby. And I knew now as I knew then that the desert holds many beautiful wonders. When God created the earth, he knew to make each place breathtaking in their own way, and the desert is among the most beautiful, amazing places that I have lived.


Hiking along the trail with Grandma Johnson, Rich, Aubrey (not pictured), Cole, Rory, and Mason. Ken and Riley didn't come...she entertained daddy while he wrote his dissertation.


Ellie, Cole and Abe explore a cave along the trail. Nope, no bears here.


Otho discovered some wicked-cool looking spine of a cactus.


Grandma and Ellie.


The kids had fun scurrying up the rocks.


So strong.


This one is my favorite. Rory knows how strong she is, and everyone is looking at her strong muscles.


Ellie and her best friend/cousin Rory.