A Grand Vacation

We’ve been on a little trip. A couple of weeks ago, Ed, the girls and I flew to Las Vegas, rented a car and drove to the Grand Canyon. It was the first time I have been there, and it really is GRAND. My stomach still does flip flops when I think about walking to the edge of the rim and looking down. It was a long, long way down. I was behind a fence, and it was still terrifying. Poor Lily and Emmy had their hands squeezed in a death grip by their father and me every time we were close to the edge. The Grand Canyon is completely and totally drop dead gorgeous. The sight of this immense hole in the ground is just amazing. I took picture after picture of the Canyon, knowing that they would never do it  justice, but I just couldn’t help it. I just kept taking them!

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Lily taking pictures of the canyon that is grand!

Ed and I loved how the Canyon kept changing. The shadows in the morning were so different from the shadows in the evening. Clouds passing overhead made dark spaces and one afternoon a thunderstorm settled into the canyon, scaring Emmy with its thunder and lightning.

storm in canyon
Storm clouds in the the canyon

The plateau at the top of the Grand Canyon was also surprising. Since it is about 7,000 feet above sea level, the temperatures were very pleasant, even in August. We were surrounded by a forest. As you go into the canyon, however, the temperature rises and the desert takes over. We ventured very little below the rim; the hike down is too much for two little girls…and probably too much for Ed and me as well! Maybe in a few years we’ll go a little farther.

Mule deer grazing in the forest at the top of the Grand Canyon
Mule deer grazing in the forest at the top of the Grand Canyon

 

Hiking a short way into the canyon...watch out for mules!
Hiking a short way into the canyon…watch out for mules!

I have so much more to tell you…stay tuned! 🙂

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A Mere 480 Words

Congratulations! Our Voices of the Year committees have selected “The Hair on My Chinny Chin Chin” to be honored at the 5th annual Voices of the Year Community Keynote!

When I read these words, I jumped up without even reading the rest of the email. I instantly thought of Mom and Grandma and the words I had written about them.

As I burst into my daughter’s room where my husband was reading the girls a book, I had to say that I was fine even though tears were streaming down my face. Ed jumped up to congratulate me; however, Lily and Emmy just wanted Ed to get back to reading Ella Enchanted. They love me, but they didn’t understand how I could cry if I was really happy.

Back in November, the anniversary of my mom’s death was getting close. As I was looking in the mirror and rubbing a chin hair, I remembered a story my mom had told me about my grandma. I was amazed at how much emotion one little chin hair brought out in me. I knew I had to write it down. As I typed out my memories, I realized it more more complex than just plucking chin hairs. It was all about relationships between mother and daughter, daughter and granddaughter. I agonized over my word choices as I struggled to explain my grandmother’s stoicism since I know the most important thing in the world to her was her family. Grandma didn’t express her feelings very often, but she felt them. Then I stumbled upon another theme: everyone grieves differently. Grandma didn’t shed a tear at my mom’s funeral, but we all knew she grieved deeply. As I wrote, I cried, read, revised, cried and read those 480 words again and again before I clicked “publish.”

I truly didn’t expect my words to honored as one of BlogHer’s Voices of the Year. I submitted them on a whim, wondering if anyone would even read my words. My sincere thanks to those panelists who did read my words and understood all the emotion behind them. At the end of this week, I’m thrilled that I’ll be at BlogHer13 in Chicago, where I can thank them in person!

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