On the road again...

That's been my theme song this summer! Last week Mike, the girls, 2 other campus ministers, and 13 college students got in a mini-bus and our van and drove to Glorieta, New Mexico, for Collegiate Week.
We left early Saturday morning and saw all the sights we saw last year, but went a little further to Vega, Texas, to spend the night. Wow. We had reservations at a hotel, but were told in the parking lot that their transformer had just blown. We looked in our room, and the lights were on but no air conditioner. The front desk assured us it would be fixed soon. At least, I think that's what he was saying. Mike decided to go check out the other hotel in town, just in case, and while he was gone I discovered how filthy the bedspreads were, after which I didn't want to touch anything! But Mike was determined to make it work, and we all walked over to Dairy Queen to cheer us up. Walking back, we discovered that ALL the power was out, and the hotel was completely black! The front desk people walked us to our rooms with flash lights to help us get our stuff, and we jetted over to the other hotel. I was very happy to see how much cleaner the rooms were, even though they were a lot smaller. The bathroom was especially small, and when I looked at the little screen-less window above the shower, I couldn't help but imagine a kidnapped hostage escaping through it. Maybe I do watch too much TV...
The next morning we had church by the swimming pool and drove the rest of the way in to Glorieta. I love that place, and was excited to see people, but the girls and I just dropped off the students' luggage and headed up to Colorado Springs to see my brother Matt and his family! I haven't seen them since they moved there 18 months ago, and we had such a good visit. We talked and talked and talked! Matt took Monday off and went with us to Garden of the Gods, which was so beautiful. We all had lunch at Rudy's BBQ, then Matt and Van went to work out while Ronda and I took the girls swimming at their city water park. That night we had fajitas and I got to experience Yo Yogurt--that place is amazing! I worked at TCBY one summer when I was in college, and this place blew that away! The choice of flavors was good, but the toppings were over the top. I wish I had taken a picture of them. I didn't have any (except a little on my finger...) but I couldn't get over the condensed milk in a squeeze bottle.

Van with Brat and Boudin

The girls in the Garden of the Gods parking lot

This one looks like she's standing in a heart--can you see it?

Mmm, bbq is always better eaten off butcher paper!

The next morning I met Meredith for breakfast! Her husband and I went to college together, and she and I met in Fort Worth; after Mike and I (finally) got married, we were in the same Sunday School class for a year. When I was living in Idaho we reconnected in blog world--she and Angie wheedled me into starting one of my own. :) So it's been, oh, 17 years since we've seen each other, and it was great spending an hour chatting face to face. I wish we could do it more often.

After breakfast Ronda and Emily took the girls and me to Seven Falls. I absolutely LOVED it! We rode an elevator up the mountain and down, then walked hundreds of steps up the waterfall and down. It was really beautiful. As I stood at the top of the waterfall and marveled at the beauty of the canyon, I wondered why God would bless me so much that He would allow me to go the places I've gone and see the beauty I've seen in my life. He is so very much better to me than I deserve.

When we made it back down, we enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch together, said good-bye, and headed back to Glorieta.

 The elevator was through that tunnel on the right.

 Jessica came down these stairs because the elevator made her nervous. I did NOT!

 Waiting for the elevator

I did end up going up, and back down, all of
these steps. Phew! Can you find all seven falls?

We enjoyed looking at the fish...

and the chipmunks. They would eat right out of our hands!

Here we go, up the stairs.

I almost didn't make it past this first platform, but the girls encouraged me to keep going. (And I'm glad they did!)

Hello, Ronda and Emily!

I have a nephew we call Shorty, so I took this for him. :)

*groan*

This is the scene that just took my breath away. (Oh, wait, maybe it was the climb...)

Good-bye

Blogger started acting up, so some of the pictures are out of order, but I don't have time to mess with it today. :)