Further Up and Further In

(Well, not really further up, which is a good thing, given my losing battle with altitude sickness on this trip!)

After a great time with our friends in CO, we all piled into the suburban for a short little jaunt to Montana. One of Karis' closest friends had moved there after graduation this year, and we figured since we were already halfway up the US, why not just pop over to visit? Well, let me tell you, MT is far, far away. Even if you start in CO. It is a gorgeous, scenic drive though and well worth it to see our friends and their charming new hometown.

We had the full MT experience, complete with gun shooting, fly fishing, backyard bear sightings, a farmer's market, sleeping with the windows open in July, jeeping, mountain lake swimming, and small town shopping. We had a wonderful, life-giving time with friends. It was relaxing, invigorating, and restoring. And it was really, really hard to leave. I think I heart Montana.

Also, while in Montana, I started to appreciate the benefits of being far, far away. Far away from responsibilities and cares. Far away to the point that other siblings would be closer in an emergency. Far away enough to feel that my mom's well-being rests on someone else's shoulder, leaving me only a concerned bystander. And I would be white-washing if I didn't admit, I liked that feeling. It was new and nice and it was probably a big part of the reason for the tears in my eyes when we drove away from that lovely little valley.