There and back again

This April we made our annual Spring visit to the Land of Enchantment (that's New Mexico, of course!)

The mornings, were glorious.

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My feet, new Nike's, attempting a run

We flew into Phoenix (a first for us as a family), drove to the Grand Canyon (breathtakingly awesome and also terrifying to a mother with 8 children to keep out of the Canyon, preferably).

We drove to New Mexico where we visited our family for 3 weeks, and then on our way home drove to Santa Fe where we saw the "Miraculous Staircase",

gorgeous stained glass windows, here, St. Anthony

a life-sized Sacred Heart

The stations were beautiful

The railings were added later, originally there were no rails or supports. The staircase makes two complete turns and defies engineering. The legend tells of a carpenter who appeared, built the staircase, and left without pay.  It was built for nuns to reach the choirloft above in this church which was too small for a regular (straight) set of stairs.  The legendary carpenter, of course, is often credited with being St. Joseph, sent in answer to the prayers of the nuns.

 the Cathedral (which was loaded with amazing relics!), and bought beaded jewlry from the street vendors in the two hours we had before we needed to bee-line it to Albuquerque in time for the anticipation Mass, since we flew out Sunday morning.

These shots are from said bee-line drive:

just cell-phone pics, through the car window, (sorry) but still--so glorious

some Southwest "bad lands"

This one didn't turn out well, but the panorama was amazing.  

I love this one.  The layers of color in the rock...I can see why people become geologists.

Now, back to those glorious mornings...they were a time in which I actively strove to recouperate from the plane trip in.  I have this phobia (of flying), and it reaped havoc on me on the four hour trip to Phoenix.  I knew, of course, that I would have to get home somehow... and 30 hours in the car was the only "other" option.

I took this picture, marveling at the fact that there were probably over a hundred people hurtling above me in that little capsule.  I marveled at every plane I saw that trip.  Watching it fly out of sight, knowing that those flights arrived safely at their destination.  I was preparing.  I had to get home.

I did.  We flew.  I may have told my husband in line at the check-in "I don't think I can do this".  He might have told me I could.  I might have had to find the restrooms.  

The thing about phobias is that they, by definition, aren't reasonable.  I know flying is safe (I guess, I mean, that's what they all say...)

Anyway, I know I treasure the time with my in-laws, I am grateful for my children to have seen so much of the Southwest of our country.  Memories are forever.  As for phobias? Well, there's always therapy.  We'll just take it one day at a time and see what the future holds.  It's good to be home!