Sedona

Robert and I took off for Sedona a couple weeks ago for our first vacation since Scott and Kristin's wedding in November 2019.  I also believe it was our first vacation without Izzy or Rachel since 2015.  Really!  Robert and I have had our share of struggles this past year and our Sedona trip was a good opportunity to have some much-needed together time without all the stuff that's been weighing us down recently.  In short, Izzy is doing well and we're giving her all our support and love.  But she's still very much in a transitional phase.  Rachel is trying to figure out who she is.  She's going through a what I hope is just a selfish phase.  I believe she has it in her to rise above it.  I know she has it in her, but it's been tough to watch.  And Robert's grandma was recently diagnosed with a medical issue.  2020 was really hard for us, and Robert and I survived it as both individuals and partners.  2021 has been hard too.  Sedona was a nice break.  It was balm for the soul.

I won't weigh y'all down with words though.  Instead, I'll share my favorite pictures from the trip. Joining Robert and I on this trip were Robert's sister, Jennifer, and her boyfriend, Lou. My mom, brother, Scott, his wife, Kristin, and my niece, Autumn also joined us.  So many people I love.  We've been back for a week, but I haven't sat down to blog yet because I've been busy, yes, but mostly because I knew I would cry my eyes out from missing everyone like heck.  And it's tough to get through a work week when you're all soggy and weepy.

Robert and I decided to drive the 20ish hours to Sedona.  And we did it slowly, listening to podcasts pretty much the whole way there and back.  

We stopped a few times, and even though it was the middle of the day, we couldn't resist a little bit of hiking at Red Rock Park in Gallup, NM.  

It was worth the heat!

Our first day in Sedona (Tuesday) we were joined by my mom, and we took off on 89A toward Flagstaff, which is quite possibly my favorite road to drive.  We stopped at Midgley Bridge for a few minutes, which turned into more than an hour once my mom and I realized we could walk down to the creek while Robert stayed behind to take a work call.  

My mom and I immediately took off our shoes and went wading.  It was the most peaceful part of the trip.

It was also the first time I went sorta hiking with a scarf.  Yep, that's how much I love scarves.  To be fair, we were planning on going to a bookstore.

Robert even found us after a while and did some wading too.

Lou and Jen flew in Tuesday night and we all hiked the Boynton Trail to the Subway Cave early the next morning.  It was an incredible hike.  

Lou and Jennifer climbed up first and made it look far too easy.  I couldn't fit through the small section they hiked on the left so I climbed up the right side with mostly my knees keeping me from sliding down.  But it was worth it!  It was so beautiful.

Jennifer was so brave, but there was no way I was getting any farther away from the wall.  

The climb back down was much easier.

On Thursday Jennifer, Lou, Robert, and I took the train to the Grand Canyon and it was another peaceful day filled with beauty, good music on the train, and lots of laughter.  

It was also Lou's first time at the Grand Canyon!

We did a little shopping and roaming on Friday before my brother, Scott, his wife, Kristin, and my niece arrived.  And we found popsicles!  I was very excited to find a lime popsicle.  

And then Scott arrived, and I've never been more excited to see him in my life.  It's no secret he's my favorite human on the planet. It was a very big deal to finally get to hug him after so long.  I'm so gosh darn proud of him.  Watching my brothers blossom in their jobs and families has been one of my greatest joys.  They were such stinkers growing up!  It was so so awesome seeing Scott, Kristin, and Autumn again.  I think I've mentioned this, but Scott and Kristin are also expecting in November!    

We spent Saturday tootling and goofing around.  Saturday night we played Telestrations, which was hilarious, and you can see what Scott thought about Robert whispering in his ear.  

Before we left, Autumn and I finished our current book we've been reading over FaceTime.  We were able to read together twice on this trip!

It's tough to pick just one favorite activity or day.  Each day was packed with so much love, laughter, peace, shenanigans, and beauty.  It was also the first trip where Robert and I invited both our families.  Not everyone could make it, but having so many people I love in one spot for just a moment was really special.  So that was my favorite part.

I was also enchanted by the weather.  It stormed every day, usually for just an hour or two, but one day it stormed and the electricity went out at the hotel!  Most of us were standing in in one of our hotel rooms and everything went dark.  We were standing there in our swimsuits because we had just come in from the pool, and what a laugh we had at how strange it was that the electricity went out while we were all standing there, dripping pool water and making plans.  

When we go back to Sedona, the first place I'll go is Midgley Bridge, which is funny because it wasn't on our itinerary this time around.  Spontaneity wins.  It's a good reminder to say yes to more things.  I balked a little on this trip because I like itineraries.  I do!  But I keep thinking about Midgley Bridge.  It's the place that's the loudest in my mind.

We also visited Robert's beloved Señor Bob's for the best veggie burger in the world.  It really is the best veggie burger in the world, so we'll be back.  

I also wouldn't mind hiking the Boynton Canyon trail again, especially since there were so many paths we didn't take.  

One thing I know for certain is that I'll invite everyone to join us next time and hope they can make it.  One of my favorite musicians, Sara Groves, says it best in her song, Every Minute: 

"And I wish all the people I love the most

Could gather in one place

And know each other and love each other well

And I wish we could all go camping

And lay beneath the stars

And have nothing to do and stories to tell..."