Our busy Saturday

We had a great but very busy Saturday. My brother Jake came to visit, finally. So, we dragged Jake around with us all day. OK I know I am biased but Jake is so much fun. I haven't really seen my family in eight months so I was excited for a visit from my youngest brother. Saturday morning at 8:15 we traveled to Parowan for Isaac's first soccer game of the year. He is a great defender and he actually almost made a goal the last couple minutes of the game. We had an hour break before Becca's soccer game in Parowan, so I made Tom drive us out to the Parowan gap. I had never visited this famous local spot and I wanted to see the Native Indian petroglyphs on the rocks in the gap.

The space where the petroglyphs are carved on the rock is actually not very large. A short walk of 50 feet encompasses the whole rock show or story. Still, there is something so powerful in the images on these rocks. Even in this short distance there are hundreds of carvings. I spotted a deer and Isaac spied a snake and a sun. We also climbed into a little cave where we discovered some well worn symbols that looked a lot like crop circles. I found myself desperately wishing I could understand the messages and stories these ancient petroglyphs told. My brother Jacob suggested they were some ancient journal left by many different Indians journeying through the pass in the rocks. Whatever they may be an half hour in the Parowan gap left me intrigued and I am on a mission to find out more information about this area.

After our short visit to Parowan gap, where Isaac trudged around barefoot because he refused to wear his soccer cleats one more second, we drove back to the soccer fields and watched our little Becca play soccer. I have to admit she is really pretty good for a six-year-old, even if she does get tired fast. Good ole Jakers he yelled and cheered like any good uncle should. He didn't even act bored after two soccer games in one morning. We headed home where we all crashed and catnapped for an hour before heading out on another adventure.

Summer vacation is over in a week and I was determined to not waste this Saturday with Tom, Jake and the kids all to myself. We headed up into the mountains and the fresh air and amazing scenery brought me a refreshing feeling of peace. Of course we were headed to a not so favorite hike of mine. Tom wanted to return to Cascade Falls. Our last visit there two years ago was a little terrifying. The hike to these falls that shoot out of a hole in the rock is a narrow path on the side of the mountain. Last time we went we got stuck in a lightning/hail storm with a little baby and a four-year-old and a way too adventurous boy. I did not want to go back. Still there was not a raincloud in sight so I set off on the hike. I am so glad we went. It was still a little frightening but we all helped each other over the tough spots. The waterfall was beautiful and we all had fun playing on the rocks. I thought WOW! We made it. Of course we had to go back. And I have discovered with this hike the way back is often a little tricky. Tom trudged off with the girls while I hung back with Jake. Jake had found a tempting rocky climbing area that he stared at like a little puppy until finally he gave in and took off like a mountain goat. I didn't want to get too far ahead of him. I worried he would slip and fall. But no, I was to be the one who slipped on some loose rocks and fell. My lower back hit a sharp rock and I couldn't move for a couple minutes. My little Isaac had stayed with me, carefully watching to make sure I made it over the rough spots safely. He was a little frightened of the narrow path and apparently even more concerned for his clutzy Mom. As I was lying there trying not to swear in front of my ten-year-old, I hear loose rocks fly down the mountainside as my brother comes running up behind me, after he realized something had happened to me. I'm thinking, "great he's going to fall running down that path." But like I said before, the boy is half mountain goat. My brother and Isaac lifted me up and helped me limp to where Tom and the girls were waiting for us further up the trail. We all made it back safely. I'm a little sore and bruised. I wonder why we keep going on that hike. Something scary always happens. Still somehow we always learn something about teamwork and family on that little spot of mountainside. I always have some epiphany there. Last time it was about prayer. This time I realized that sometimes getting back is the tricky part, whether it is getting back to our car or back to our Heavenly Father. But somewhere, someone is waiting to help us, watching over us and sometimes that person is son or a brother or a husband, or our Savior.

The rest of the evening was relaxing. Tom and I cooked up some Pennsylvania shrimp - I'll post this recipe next Friday and some fried zucchini for Jake. We had to lure him down here somehow. I used food. We said goodbye to my brother this morning and spent a relaxing Sunday together.