After our weekend at Mesa Verde National Park (here and here), we went an hour and a half east to Navajo State Park for the week. It was gorgeous and quiet and a happy week. We had solid cell service, trails to walk on, and pretty views! We love state parks for all the space to play and the space between sites. Even the drive there was beautiful. SO many farms and horses. Oh my goodness look at the moms and babies!

I just love my 3 so much. More each day.

And I love that our settling routine is so quick that after 30 minutes at a place it looks like we’ve been there a week haha

Having space to ourselves means we have enough room to give haircuts at sunset:

to freely play, dance and be silly:

And exercise! (Though truth be told… I exercise anywhere now; no matter how close the neighbors are or who is looking haha. I love how this trip is helping me not care what others think!)

I really missed seeing the girls in their dance recital this year but I know we have many more years of watching them dance!

The first night we were at the park we drove around to explore a little bit and I was so teary eyed. I’m not sure why – it was just so beautiful and the colors seemed so bright. It was so peaceful and quiet. Maybe I was teary because some of the sounds smells and sights reminded me of my childhood at Lake Shawnee.

At night during the week we rode our bikes and enjoyed finding the mule deer hang-outs and fun paths to walk:

AB is literally growing like a weed 😊

RR (ever since his Thomas the train days) has always wanted to see a real train water tower like this so that was cool!

We also found out quickly who our adrenaline lover is. My goodness. AB went flying down this hill on her bike with me clenching my jaw and scrunching my shoulders the whole time. She finally stops at the water’s edge and we hear her Minnie Mouse voice, “that was totally wicked!!!”. 😂 Oh she worries me.

Such sweet siblings but so different from each other.

For the last 5 years we’ve hosted Homeschool Field Day for our community on the first Friday in June. I couldn’t let the day pass without our own little field day! We sure do miss our friends but we are having such a blast on this adventure. I think this field day was fun for the kiddos cuz Mommy even participated!

Oh my goodness it feels so good to feel good. After many years of not feeling good, I’m just so grateful to be healthy. I feel more like myself than I have in years. Our field day was hot and included lots of heavy breathing in this high elevation! We played capture the flag, raced sprints, relays, and the 3 legged race, and played kickball. I was actually so exhausted that night I cried myself to sleep but I am not even sure what I was crying about haha.

We bought an inflatable kayak back in Utah and I’m so glad! We enjoyed it again this week and of course every time we kayak we think of our best friends at OneLife.

(We hope to buy a 2nd kayak so we can all go at the same time)

I truly feel every place we have stayed has taught me a special lesson.

The lesson here at Navajo State Park was a great follow up to the one at Lone Rock and the one at Antelope Canyon.

Here I remembered how to be still with the Lord. It’s so difficult for me to truly “be still” because I am a type that can complicate even my quiet time with the Lord. I end up making it productive and about the lessons and not HIM.

<picture pen in hand ready to journal> Okay Rabbi what’s the lesson!? How can I improve? What should I apply to my life that I’m reading about?

I know that He’s gifted me in this way and I love applying scripture…. but the lessons can’t be my focus and priority.

Somehow I forgot along the way somewhere (again) that The Lord desires me to just be with Him. Be still. Enjoy His company. Like B does (lesson at Lone Rock). Not just enjoy what He’s teaching me or how He’s working on me. But to enjoy Him. Oh my goodness. How did I forget again?

Just like He taught me that He loves me just because He does….Not because of what I do for Him…Not because of my looks or brains or how He uses me…. but because He loves me….Because I’m His little girl that He created and saved and cherishes. I want to reciprocate that love to Him. I want to love and adore and enjoy Him for who He is. Because He’s so worthy.

These thoughts are all the result of me going on a quiet walk just me and the Lord one morning. I left my bible and journal at home and I just walked and enjoyed the quiet and beauty. I had no idea it had been so long since I was by myself in nature! Even though I get up before the kids and do my quiet time routine… this was so different. Mommy quiet time in nature has been added to my daily wish list! 😊

I felt the Lords calling presence and I remembered what I had forgotten. I cried. Of course. These worship walks turned into my favorite part of the week. Sometimes I brought my camera. sometimes I didn’t.

It was so beautiful. Relaxing. And interestingly enough He still did teach me and really gave me a beautiful lesson:

I am so very aware of my tendency to judge my personal appearances by our culture’s standards and it’s an area He’s been working out in me for years. I so want to see myself in His eyes. I want to see the beauty He sees and have eyes to see what the world can not. Mostly I want to think of eternal things more than the physical. This body is just a shell!

It’s something I talk about with Him often and have read many books on and work hard to have His thoughts about. Some seasons I am so confident and know how beautiful I am to Him…. and I just am not even thinking of my shell at all ….. other seasons I just can’t seem to break through the negative thoughts about it. I’m not sure what is going on in those seasons to cause that.

As I walked this week I found a favorite spot. Tucked between trees and a perfect lake view and so quiet. I never saw another soul the whole week appreciating it or even walking anywhere near the trail. One day the water was so still and I just was cheesing SO big as I looked at it.

I thought —

Oh Lord! It’s so beautiful. You’re so amazing! All the colors are so bright. It’s so quiet and peaceful! And to think this is one little view on one little trail in one little state park in a very rural area of one little state in one country! Your beauty is everywhere. I can appreciate it right here where I am as much as the most visited places we’ve seen. Your creation is so amazing!

And an interrupting thought…

My daughter. How you’re welling up right now? How beautiful you think this is? That’s the tiniest glimpse of how I look lovingly at you. My children are SO much more beautiful to me than this. YOU are so much more beautiful to me than this.

<sniff sniff>. Thank you Lord!

It was interesting that when I just enjoyed His presence not focusing on “getting” from Him is when He was so generous. Or maybe it’s just that I truly had a quiet heart and ears to hear.

He knows what His daughters need to hear and know. He created us with the need for His words and affection and approval.

I don’t know what in the world males need or how He reveals it to them. 😊 I’m just grateful I’m a beautiful little girl of His!