The Football Season Begins

Carver #39 at fullback for the Durango Colts

Third from the end on the left.  Her ponytail helps find her on the field!

#52 on the Durango Falcons during pre-game warm ups.

Yesterday we had the first two games of the football season!  Kayla's team played in Farmington, New Mexico and it was HOT!!!  (Yes, I know you Texans are now laughing at me, but remember we have -16 degree days in the winter.)  Kayla played offensive guard and tackle on the strong side of the line.  She did really well and loved having a year of experience behind her.  She has grown A LOT this year and is about the third tallest on the team.  She loves her team and her coaches and absolutely LOVES playing football.  Her team won 33-0!

Getting ready for the game!

Carver's team played here in Durango.  He has been SO nervous playing fullback this year that he almost threw up yesterday morning!  We have been drilling all of his fullback plays to build confidence that he knows exactly what to do.  He is also the backup quarterback and starting defensive end.  He has been so nervous about fullback plays that he didn't want to practice quarterback plays this week.  Ironically the starter got hurt and Carver's "deer in the headlights" look was classic when they called his name to play QB!  He played fullback really well and advanced the ball each time he carried it and even got a first down!  He had several great tackles on defense and even one QB sack!  His team won 18-2!

Carver standing at defensive end on the end of the line.

Kenna was a terrific big sister fan and tries out for 7th grade volleyball tomorrow!  We have skills to work on before next game, but it was a great day! 

Handies Peak - Our First 14er

Our whole family at the trailhead

Along the trail with Mallory and Kayla

View of Sloan Lake from the summit of Handies Peak 

Brett soaking up the summit

 

Celebrating with Mallory

I will be the first to admit that I am terrified of heights.  This fear becomes nearly paralyzing when my children are close to edge of a giant precipice or cliff.  I get so caught up in the "what could happen" moments that I have missed a lot of beautiful memories and scenery as a prisoner of my fear....well not anymore!  When we moved to Colorado three years ago I discovered that many of our friends were passionate 14er climbers.  I didn't even know what a 14er was!  14ers are mountains that are over 14,000 feet above sea level in elevation and there are 54, yes 54, in Colorado.

This past Saturday we climbed our first one!  We climbed Handies Peak just west of Lake City.  It was AMAZING!  The trail was 5.5 miles long and climbed 2,500 feet in elevation - relatively easy by 14er standards.  Our friend Valerie even said it is so easy her six year old could climb it!  Well, Brett, Kayla, my niece Mallory and I may have taken a LONG time, but we did it!  The views were breathtaking, the flowers were beautiful and the weather was perfect.  It was great!  Along the way Kayla saw her music teacher from school.  I visited with a dear friend who teaches Kindergarten at my school, and we descended with a family who has come to our church many times!  It was a real treat to stop and visit with so many familiar faces.  Towards the top my old fears crept up and I thought I would not make it, but Brett came down, took my hand and told me we were in it together and we made it to the top!  This was such an incredible moment for me!  No longer living in fear, but embracing all the Lord has for me.  I will definitely be chewing on the lessons learned from Handies for a long time.  Isn't that just like God to graciously teach me there is so much more to life when I just let go and trust?

The cousins who have been mistaken for sisters:  Kayla and Mallory

The girls on the summit

I am SOOOO proud of Mallory and Kayla!!!  Mallory runs cross country for her middle school in Texas and I think her coach will be very proud of her off-season training:)!  Kayla has definitely gotten the climbing bug.  In the past three weeks, she and Brett have summitted Kendall Mountain (13,066), Engineer Mountain (12,927) and Handies Peak (14,058).  Of my children, Kayla wanted to move to Colorado the least, so it THRILLS my soul to watch her embrace hiking and climbing with such joy.  And I can honestly admit, I didn't freak out when she walked right over to the edge and looked down:).  What an amazing day to discover what joy awaits when we surrender our fears and live in the abundant life promised to us in Christ.

Camping with the Gallahers

Jacie and Otto sharing breakfast

Christy and Riley at the campsite

Carver on the hike

Mallory and Kenna

All the Gallaher grandkids

My brother is here!  Otto, Christy and their girls Mallory, Riley and Jacie came up last week for a great vacation!  We LOVE them and have really cherished every moment with them.  They left to visit friends in the northern part of the state and will come back through Durango on their way back to Texas.  We had the chance to camp and hike with them and even share our first 14er summit with them!  Such a treat!  The kids love playing together and the chance to visit and connect as adults is absolutely precious and invaluable.  We love them SOOOO much!  Here are some shots from our camping trip and hiking excursion.  We can't wait for them to come back and sure wish they would live closer:)!  I cannot express how thankful I am that although we are family, we are really, really close friends.  Having my brother as one of my very closest friends is a gift for which I am eternally grateful...