Grateful

As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world. ~Terri Guillemets


So last week Jeff and I had the luxury of being able to take a mini vacation to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary without the kiddos so we headed to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Our intention when deciding to travel there wasn't necessarily the excitement and crazy nightlife that Las Vegas is so well known for, but rather the natural landscape and beauty surrounding that area.  We have traveled to that area many times over the course of the last years but it never seems to get old to us as there are so many gorgeous places within driving distance to see.

I would like to think that I don't get wrapped up in all of the man made materialistic trappings of this world but have learned to be grateful for the awesome nature and wonder all around us every single day and if I have any opportunity at all to soak any of that in on any given day and be grateful for what God has created for all of us I am thankful for the experience.

Me at the West Rim of The Grand Canyon

So despite the chance to win millions in the Las Vegas Casinos on our trip, for the most part Jeff and I opted to get up early each day, head to our version of the Random Lake Self Serve in Las Vegas, gas up and grab some coffee to go, and drive for hundreds of miles on each of our days there to see the beauty our country has to offer and be in awe of it all.  Fortunately for us we had rented a Ford Mustang Convertible and rode with the top down to many of these locations with the wind blowing through our hair and the radio cranked!!!

Jeff posing with our rented Mustang.  We had the top up here as we were parking near the downtown area of Vegas.

I don't want to ramble on and on about each and every place we saw on our trip but really just want to be short and sweet about how grateful I feel that I have had the opportunity in my life to see so many gorgeous places and we have also been able to show these places to our children as well.  Although they weren't with us on this particular visit they have seen some of these places already.

God has truly blessed us with more beauty than we could ask for.  We just have to open our eyes to see it and for some people they still refuse to open them wide enough.

Jeff and I at the West Rim of The Grand Canyon

Jeff on a 6,000 foot peak in Death Valley National Park (even a park named Death Valley is beautiful!)

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.  Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.  I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles - Anne Frank.
 

Lake Mead near Las Vegas, Nevada

As many times as I've flown I can't resist taking pictures of the poofy clouds we see when flying