I went to my favorite place in the world.

(view from the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park)

I spent some quality time with friends.

(at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park)

I spent some quality time with my best friend.

(from Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park)

 And I spent some quality time with Annie.

I saw things bright and beautiful….

(Swiftcurrent Lake, Glacier National Park)

(Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park)

(The Tetons)

(White Cone Geyser, Yellowstone National Park) 

…and creatures great and small.

(Dan captured this awesome video at Fishercap Lake, Glacier National Park)

(photo by Dan)

(photo by Dan)

(Photo by Dan) 

(Photo by Rachel) 

Thankfully, we avoided this potential series of unfortunate events…

But not this one:

I went to church.

(The Chapel of the Transfiguration, Grand Teton National Park) 

I waited for geysers, listened to birds, ran through a thunderstorm, heard the ground hiss and roar and bubble, smelled sulfur, watched wildflowers, tracked Moose, dozed off in the sunshine, fiddled with maps, hiked trails, got off the internet, adjusted to the earth’s schedule for a change, drove to the sun, and found these words to be true:

(from the Logan Pass visitor’s center, Glacier National Park)

I listened, and in the silence I felt God’s delight in all these wild things, and I felt God’s delight in me.

I am wiped out, yet refreshed, sore but energized.  I’m the best kind of tired there is.

Thanks for giving me the space to rest.