National Parks

100 years of National Parks and in our 8 years of marriage, here are the 6 we've visited:

ZION NATIONAL PARK | 2009. Visit to see my Grandparents
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK | 2009. Family vacation with the Robertsons
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK | 2010. Robertson Family Reunion
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK | 2013. Our first big road trip detour, Texas to California.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK| 2016. Cooley Family Reunion
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK | 2016. Road trip stop, Minnesota to Utah

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One of my great regrets in life is that we didn't see more of Utah while we lived there. Even Zion- we only made it to the park entrance. Matt grew up seeing the parks and taking long road trips, and as for me, the more I see of the country and its wonders, the more I am compelled to take to the road as some are drawn to take to the sea.
I wouldn't say that I've had any great spiritual experiences in these magnificent places, but I've certainly come to see God's handiwork. You come to recognize your place and both your significance and your insignificance. And a universal understanding settles upon you, reminding you that there is so much in the world that you don't know and haven't yet experienced or seen- it's humbling.
We've grown up a lot since our first trip in 2009. Life has happened, and I think we see the world quite differently. I credit some of that to our enjoyment of photography. We got our camera in 2011, and as we sought to capture the best light and the best picture, we began to see  the world with new eyes. Whether or not I was looking through a lens, I noticed how much more beauty I saw around me and memories as they were happening.
Destination or detour, visiting the parks is never a mistake. They're an experience well worth it. 100 years of National Parks and they are ours :)