A Quick Hike (Toben)

I like hiking. Not long, strenuous hikes, but nice, short, brisk hikes. It clears my head and gets me some fresh air and physical exercise. So when my dad called yesterday to ask if Emma and I would be up for a hike today, I jumped at it.  We went to Roxborough State Park, just about half and hour from our home and it was beautiful! The weather was very cool but manageable. And the fresh air was so amazing. I take air for granted, but when I get a good snoot-full of cool, crisp Rocky Mountain air I remember how lucky I am to live here in Colorado. Felt good to get my heart rate up a little too.

Emma is a hiker. In fact she may like hikes even more than I do. And she loves hiking with my dad, her Papa. My dad is pretty amazing with Emma. He lets her set the pace and follows her lead. She gets such a kick getting off the main trail and exploring. And she always has her camera at the ready. For Christmas Joanne and I were able to get her a pair of hiking boots on Amazon thanks to a gift card that Joanne received. They are so cool and so much better than the runners that she has been wearing to hike. These have great tread and a lot of support for her feet and ankles. She loves them! I won't give it away but this Christmas will definitely be a good one for her future outdoor adventures. 

We had a lot of fun today talking about future adventures. We are going to spend a fair share of time in Rocky Mountain National Park starting in the Spring. Emma is determined that she will take at least one 7 mile hike. Not sure why she picked this number, but we'll go for it by the end of the season. We have a lot of shorter hikes to do before we'll be ready to tackle something that long (I realize 7 miles is nothing for a real hiker, but like I said, I am a casual hiker at best).

Today also involved a lot of packing and cleaning for the girls. Their rooms need a lot of attention and they both really worked hard today, getting the junk out of their rooms and out to the curb, sorting through clothes and putting things in "keep" piles and "give" piles. They did great. I think they are both ready to wrap things up and get down to the Springs.

Speaking of which: Emma was at her new school (Eagleview) on Friday for orientation and math placement testing. In short, she rocked! She figures she got an easy "A" on her placement test and finished the 45 minute exam in about half the time. The kid is sharp! She left feeling really good about her new school and is anticipating getting started after the break. She also got to choose her electives and put photography as her first choice. I hope she gets it! That would make the transition just that much better.

Audrey goes to Air Academy tomorrow for her orientation. It is a little weird and kind of cool to be sending her off to the school that Jo and I graduated from over 20 years ago. I think she is going to love it. We've been talking about it and she said, "If I can handle Creek (with 4000 students) I can handle anything." And I think she's right. Air Academy has only 1200 students so I think it'll feel very manageable to her. I'll update in my next post on how her orientation went. 

I think the move is hardest on Joanne. She is leaving her nest, which she so carefully put together over the years. In the long run I think she'll feel like we made the right decision to downsize and get a place that's more conducive to her level of mobility but in the interim it really stinks for her. It is especially difficult for her to have so much activity going on around her and her being limited in what she can do to help. I wish I could make this easier on her but I'm just not sure how to do that. 

Anyhow, as I write this everyone is pretty well tucked in for the evening. Joanne is in bed reading her Kindle. Emma is watching a movie and Audrey is listening to music and playing with clay (her new favorite artistic expression). Feels good to have everyone here together and settled. As you know from previous posts, nothing makes me happier than to have all my girls under one roof. 

Prayer requests:

1. Please pray that Audrey would have a good time at Air Academy tomorrow and would be energized by the idea of heading there after break.

2. Big praise the Emma's time at Eagleveiw was such a smashing success. The transition for her is a big one going form a class of 30 to a class of 300! But she is excited and ready to go. Thank you Jesus!

3. Please lift up Joanne as she struggles with this move. 

Toben

Comments

[lynn]

Toben, I know this is a tough transition, but it makes me feel really good to hear about the family making this decision and adjusting it to the 'new normal' that life has morphed into. Not of your choosing, indeed. But your responses to it are of your choosing and you all are showing great courage. I see it as an adventure with your future!
Lynn in TX

[Sharon]

If you guys are looking for a church, we go to First eFree http://www.1freechurch.org/cms/ I know you already know some people from there. Peter Mayberry (from The Navigators) and Ele and Homer Bromund are friends of Joanne's parents. Thought of you today Toben when I got a bum cart at the grocery store. I immediately went back for a better one. Who has time to be wrestling a shopping cart??

[Kim Feth]

Prayers.
Peace,
Kim Feth
Apex, NC