May 28, 2006

Ok, so I know its a week later (sorry!!!) but I am finally ready to finalize this posting about the weekend in J. Hole. Sunday went something a little like this: wake up (well some of us did, someone who wasn't feeling all that great slept till three) breakfast, nap, hike, dinner, movie, sleep! ha ha ha.. Little bit more than that, ok ok ok. The weather went something like this though: sun, rain, sleet, hail, sun, snow, sun snow, clouds.... Craziness. After Alex, Colin, and I had some breakfast the weather turned pretty sour and we all headed back to the house... We lounged a bit Ben finally overcame his bad ice, Colin and I fell asleep on the couch and woke up promptly at 430, pm. At this point, I started to get a little stir crazy (and since I think everyone would have really thought I was insane if I had run around outside banging on pots and pans - like I normally do when cabin fever strikes) I did start dancing in the driveway. Alex I think recognized those signs and Ben Alex and I decided to take a nice little hike in Grand Teton National Park. Once again, I was amazed and loved the peaceful beauty of our nations National Parks. There is just something different about a National Park that you can't quite explain unless you've been in one when no one else is around. Most of you know my most favorite place on earth is Rainier Mt. There are a million reasons as to why but it is due in no small part to the beauty I see and the peace I feel on that mountain. There is an inner calm that takes over. I once again was struck by this feeling in GTNP. Anyways, Ben Alex and I took a nice couple mile hike up to some over-looks and promptly were snowed upon... Oh well. After which we headed home for an amazing dinner, (who knew a Hamlin boy could cook!), chilled out, watched a movie... Sadly at 8am the next morning the boys (Alex and Colin) headed back to the mountain for some more runs and Ben and I loaded up the mom mobile, I mean volvo and headed back to the fair city of seattle. Sad to leave Jackson, yes. But I came away with precisly what I was looking for, though I didn't even know I was looking for it. The truth is, when I headed out on this trip I was not in the best place. I was getting out of a seemingly good relationship, that turned horribly sour (which I still don't get) and feeling a bit over-whelmed with life. After this mini-break I found I had a restored sense of who I am. More to come.