All our fountains....

Rock art: The Virgin

Ok.  So I want to just apologize for not posting as much as we have in the past.  But hey we're living it now !  Family of seven with 5 amazing children, and oh what a blessing.

This past Labor Day weekend we did what we love - we went camping in the San Luis Valley.  Boy did we need to unplug.  You know the deal:  work, stuff, more stuff...we really needed to get out - so we did and it was wonderful!

Since his arrival Jacob has marveled at the pictures of his siblings playing at the Great Sand Dunes.  And he wanted to go bad.  So first stop - Great Sand Dunes National Park.  We stopped and the kids shot up the dunes (about 500ft up).  We  marveled at creation, used sleds to zip down the dunes and well - we just unplugged in God's creation.  We marveled at the azure blue sky contrasted with the brightness of the sand on the background of the Sangre De Christo Mountains.   But sand in August is well ....HOT.

To cool off we checked out of the sand dunes and went to the cooler climes of Zapata Falls - a cascading waterfall that falls into an almost totally enclosed canyon with 45 degree water.  Once again wonder and awe of the one who made it all. Jacob and Naomi clambered up the creek and took in the jaw dropping spectacle of fountains of water and mist on the rocks grinning from ear to ear.

Jacob AKA Spider Man

But now we were cold.  -Good thing Dad had them staying at the Sand Dunes pool - sort of an oasis in the middle of the San Luis Valley that sports a hotsprings pool filled with 98 degree water - once again a fountain, warm and soothing.  The kids romped an played in the water - Hannah trying her best high dive, Noah in total chill mode and Jacob and Naomi getting thrown into the water by Dad and loving it. Oh and Mom?  Yeah in the "therapy pool" (who needs calgon right?).  A great day was made even better when our oldest Joshua decided to show up after work - Perfect we're all together now.

Josh Helps Mom Cheat

The next day we went to Penitente Canyon on the West side of the Valley. Travelling across the valley man the vistas you see - its just big.  Clouds, sun, distant storms, mountains...beauty. Once at Penitente we hiked and you know us.... we broke out the ropes, courtesy of our son Joshua.  Most got to get on and climb one of the bolted routes in Penitente.  Josh has become quite good and set up an anchor and helped his Mom,

Hannah and Jacob take a crack at the 40 ft Rock.  Jacob was at first not so sure about it but we encouraged him to try...he did and he's a spider!  And then the fountains came again - a thunderstorm from the Southwest - And anyone knows that being on a rock + lightning = bad ju ju.  So we cleared the route as the rain started to fall and started running back to the car - laughing all the way.

We did much more exploring and discovering and marveling at life and creation that day and the next. I was so restored and alive again because I was able to do this with these beautiful ones I get to call my family.  All of this is blessing - poured out on us by the one who loves us - and you. Did you notice the thread that is common with this trip? - Fountains.  Water poured out for us, on us, in us by Jesus. I am so in awe of this King. We had a theme song that Hannah (our DJ while travelling) played often on this latest adventure and it sums all of this up - click here to  listen.

May the one who gives living water to all who ask bless you -and may all of us who get busy take time to drink it.

Marshall