Bob and I ended our long journey on August 8. Was so good to get home. I tried to create a quick video of our trip and it turned into a technical nightmare so maybe one day when I have more patience.  So, a few pics added to show the final highlights of our trip. There is too much really to sum up all the extraordinary sights and sounds and new friends.
We did see moose and have video of a mom and calf just before an early morning sunrise (actually the sunrise became mixed with an incredible thunder and lightening storm). We really enjoyed the Tetons. Some great pics from that sunrise as we stayed right at the foot of the mountains or at least close enough to see the whole range. We had a hike there that “did us in” due to the 10000 foot altitude and rocky climbs. We were humbled by the people who climbed effortlessly around us. Those are hardy folk! 

Time in South Dakota en route home was a pleasant surprise as we saw more Buffalo in a preserve and watched them carry on their interactions and such! We drove the Needles Highway in the Black Hills and that is a bit scary. I worked my passenger side brake foot a lot during this trip. Again, we hiked beyond our (my) capability to the top of one of the mountains where you could see the whole world around you. I found Mt. Rushmore to be sincerely moving. I think it was the incredible feat of creation and the magnitude of the size. And since I cannot draw even a stick figure, I was amazed at the artistry. 

Bottom line…. there is a lot beautiful in our country and some inspiring, risk-taking and really ambitious people who labored to bring it to us to enjoy. I am thankful.

Life now is settling in to catching up with friends, a few projects, spending time at our cabin for solitude and peace, loving on people that need help, seeing sweet Libby married off (pic included), picking vegetables from our garden and sorting through the very real empty spaces. 

I heard a quote from Timothy Keller (one of my all-time favorite pastor/author/human beings who sadly died just some days before Laura) about the loneliest verse in the Bible and I cannot find it but, the gist is that the last mile of suffering is done alone. Whether it’s grief or personal illness or dying, you have help until you have to take the final leg of the journey. That’s where we are now. Grief is incredibly lonely and even Bob and I and John and Maya have to do this thing alone. And so many who loved Laura are feeling the same and I’m sorry. I love this quote from CS Lewis which really says it all “The pain I feel now is the happiness I had before. That’s the deal”.

Friends, thank you for keeping up with us and caring to read our joys and trials. This will be the final final (I know I’ve said that before) but, really I have said it all and now we move on to make sense of things and make our way. We appreciate you all!

Love,
Margaret, Bob, John, Maya