Sorry everyone. We kept wondering why no one was ever commenting on our amazing photos and incredible thoughts. Well, it was our fault. We accidentally had turned on the comment moderation and we were not moderating anything.

Sorry about that, we are now feeling rather foolish. The comments should work perfectly now, unlike before.

All apologies mixed with laughter.

As for us, we are headed out to Huntsville, AL tomorrow morning. After that will be our friends in North Carolina and then the D.C. area.

Love.
J&J

Is anyone even reading this?

Wow… it’s been quite a long time since we’ve updated (sorry to all of you faithful viewers I like to pretend exist) – so in response to those who are wondering were we have been, might be, and are going = here you are:

Condensed Travel Log:
Following our time in the MI, IL, IN, Iowa, and KS we made our way to Colorado (Garden of the Gods and driving through the Rocky’s), up through Wyoming (where we spent time in Tetons National Park (N.P.) and Yellowstone N.P.), and into Montana (Glacier N.P.).

As Jake's understudy, I've turned into one kickin' rock climber... here is one of my first "minor" challenges at Garden of the God's... I anticipate soon I'll be better than him...













Our trip to the Tetons + an unexpected suprise on one of our off-trail expeditions.










Or friend at YellowStone!
This Bison is so much closer than it presents to be... look at the dominice she has over the fleeing car...








During our visit with the Bakers we made a hike up into the Bitterroot Mountains and up to beautiful Baker Lake and her two neighboring sister lakes...








Glacier National Park... And, yes - that is Grinnell Glacier behind us... beautiful.










We have found in each state a major storm to out-run... Here was the finale storm in Glacier... a blazin' fire storm!













Shortly after our time at Glacier N.P. we headed across Idaho, through Washington, and into Portland OR, which was the starting point of our drive down along the OR coast. Making our way down the coast we drove into CA where we spent time with more friends and family in Sacramento, San Francisco Bay area, and L.A.


My dream... the beautiful Oregon coast. Notice the hundreds of sea lions below and the heavy waves on the Ansel Adams worthy coast...













You see our faces... You know what's goin' on...










Driving through Joshua Tree N.P. and the Mojave Desert we found ourselves cruising by the Hoover Dam and through Las Vegas on a Friday night and quickly realized why we love N.P. so deeply… That night we made our way to Zion N.P. where we spent the entire next day hiking, exploring, and being in a state of awe.


Joshua Tree and Jake humoring me by posing just like a Joshua Tree...










Our Zion experience...















After a good nights rest we drove over to Bryce Canyon N.P. were we found ourselves in the same practices exercised in Zion: hiking, exploring, and remaining in awe… At the tip of a fellow hiking couple we stuck around that night and explored the hidden slot canyons and petraglyphs of Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument.


Bryce N.P.




























That evening we headed up to Calf Creek Rec. Area (in response to another tip) and set up camp to two entire nights (at the realization we needed to rest and enjoy one another outside of our Civic)… Yesterday at Calf Creek we did what we do best and made an estimated 2-3 hour hike and all day hike of play, and you guessed it, hiking, exploring, and remaining in a state of amazement. Picture of all of the above coming soon!

Here we are this morning, making our way to Arches N.P.. We anticipate heading down to the four corners, Mesa Verde, and Hot Springs in Arkansas as we continue to make our way back East to visit more friends and family.

Traveling thoughts...

When does the human spirit decide that it can let go of the body? Does it recognize this point consciously or subconsciously, cognitively or spiritually?

When someone is dying slowly, as in they know they have a disease or condition that will take their life in some short, definite amount of time, it is possible to watch the digression of health all the way to the point of the cessation of life. As happens every day, things get worse, more painful, closer to death, and finally the person crosses over into something else. But in that continuum, there is a point of change that is indiscernible. Anyone who has ever risen early enough to watch specifically for the sunrise knows this quandary. When are you looking at a rather light night sky, and when are you suddenly looking at a dark morning sky. At some moment there is a transition that we can not truly label, but it must exist. Perhaps a state where both exist at once, night and morning, life and death, veiled and unveiled.

In the case of slow deterioration there comes a point where the will and ability to draw one breath is not followed by the same will and ability. The next breath is never drawn. What occurred in those 4 or 6 seconds between the final breath and the first non-breath. The cancer did not grow suddenly worse, the lungs did not suddenly have more fluid, emphysema or leukemia or ALS did not progress at an incredible rate for that short moment in time.

So what happened? Friends and family often say that they finally got tired of hanging on. If that were the case, it would make the decision to die a cognitive one, something within our direct control and decision. If death were that much in our control, those with terminal diseases coupled with chronic pain would simply "choose" to die and do so without external aides. Contrarily, on extreme ends some individuals survive the impossible by an apparent "sheer force of will", while others will die of grief. Both are internally driven, yet neither can completely control what is happening. There is some aspect of internal choice and will at play, but it can not encompass the entirety of this

What is the final straw that allows someone to go past that threshold of what holds us onto life?

- Jake

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Yesterday we wrapped up our detour to Elkart, unpacked and repacked our car and headed west... With temps. as high as they were we were having salt licking contests on our arms... We then of coarse had to stop at TCBY to counteract that salty taste with a hot fudge sundae... We then stopped to spend some time good time with Chad and Joselyn last night in Fairfield, Iowa...

Now in Kansas City, MO with my sister and friends we anticipate to head to Denver by tomorrow or the next day...

Our motto: Jake - "What do we have to do tomorrow?" Jess - "Nothing!"

We're taking and enjoying our time and learning how to "be" with one another... So much to learn... Yet, so much to love...

I can hardly believe over a week has passed by... As you can tell by the flattering pictures Jake posted a few days ago, we had an amazing time making our way through the U.P., down through Wis., a couple days in Chicago over the weekend (too short!), and back into IN for a day and a half to say good-bye to a good friend...

http://earth-nomad.livejournal.com/146333.html

Jess - we appreciate you!
Yes, my face is the color of my shirt... it was "that" hot and we were "that" active... I miss Ethan, Jermaine, Kaylanie, Jeremy, and Destiny so very much...





Lake of the Clouds...













Eric & I - Tha Navarro Family continues to do GRAND... I love them dearly...















An adventure...













My husband...














Jake & I at the Pictured Rocks... beautiful...

















Beautiful tree structure (note: the massive tree on the island of rock reaching with her lifeline root over to the mainland for nourishment)













View from an observantion deck at the Pictured Rocks...








Our day at Tequamannen (sp?) falls... $8.00 for a bunch of rain... I guess when we asked to see falls, God granted our request in abundance...



We look forward to seeing many of you soon and love hearing from you! Thanks for your continued love - we'll keep you posted!