Mountain High

For as long as I can remember, two songs frequent my desire to sing as loud as I can whenever I'm surrounded by mountains: The Hills are Alive by Julie Andrews and Rocky Mountain High by John Denver. I know two things for sure about myself: 1. I adore the praire and 2. I'm a mountain lover. It was refreshing to feel the coolness of the mountain wind, smell the pine wafting through the breeze, and delight in the babbling of the streams as we hiked with only the sound of the kiddos and the birds providing the music.

The preverbial saying, "the apple doesn't far from the tree" has once again proven itself. Both the kiddos are clearly as addicted to the mountain high as I am. HS couldn't get over the fact that finally we were in a world of constant wildlife viewing. He scanned the horizon for the tell-tale sign that an antelope heard was near...white butts flashing us in the blueness of the sky. Elk with their gigantic antlers laid out as if they were sunbathing and chipmunks chatted from boulders as they flashed their tales in our direction. Who wouldn't have ben engrossed? "mommy, we don't have this at home." he said as we were watching a marmot checking us out from his hole. "nope. we have wild pigs, though..." I replied with a sigh. "mommy, that's not the same."

LD was infactuated with the snowbanks. Yes, in July, we found snow and she tramped along it with a smile that stretched from ear to ear. Until she landed enough times on her hindend..then she decided it was best to view the white ground from the warm embrace of mommy's arms. She enjoyed picnicing under the trees as hummingbirds buzzed to and fro in the sunlight. She giggled as I tickled under her chin with wildflowers and showed her determination to keep up with big brother and cousin R by hiking without assistance down the trail (she did have her harness on attached to me, but her chubby little legs kept in time for the majority of the hike...).

The voyage through the mountains was spectacular. The kids got along great and shared many moments together just clowning around. LD was able to feel the wind whip around her hair and giggle until she had tears. HS become a Junior Park Ranger for the second time...he had already earned the title at Volcanoes National Park, but now he can proudly show off his badge from Rocky Mountain National Park. The three adults on the trip, well, what can I say, the altitude can make you just as silly as the kids!

I can't even begin to express how much I just enjoyed being within something so much larger than myself. It is no wonder that John Denver made millions off the Rocky Mountain High song....for anyone who has ever sat a moment in God's playground of majestic mountains pondering their life as nature unfurls her most splendid creations at your feet, the high lasts long after you have departed as a changed soul.