Gratitude and The Fall

I have mixed feelings about the Fall. I completely love how beautiful it is, I love the idea of lots of warm soups to eat and hot cocoa to drink, I like thinking of all the upcoming holidays and all the joy and wonderful memories that come with them- but at the same time I dislike the chill in the air. I hate knowing that that chill just means an incoming bitter cold. Which in turns means that all the parts of my body that hang off a bit will become ice cubes for the next several months. It also means getting out of bed in the morning when it is still dark and cold. Bundling up in layer after layer and even worse bundling up my kiddos in layer after layer only to remove layer after layer a mere ten minutes later when they decide it is too cold or they have to pee! ANYWAYS- I love Fall if I can just not dwell on what the Fall means!!

But this Fall has been amazing and warm so I haven’t had to think about the cold and dreary winter.

When we went up to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park in mid-October not only did we have an amazing time but it was fabulously warm. It was nearly 80 degrees with just a nice breeze- I couldn’t of asked for a better day!

We walked around all the fun shops; we went hiking, returned to some of the places I visited as a kid and we saw all the Elk come down for the evening. It was wonderful.

As we walked and hiked in the park I couldn’t help thinking about all the amazing and beautiful creations of our Heavenly Father. There I was in the presence of such beauty and wonder, my heart full of gratitude for it all. Not just the beauty of this earth and its many creations but also the family that Bret and I have created together. The Lord has entrusted me with these magnificent and remarkable little people. It truly was a day to remind me of the many blessings the Lord has provided for me.