The Grand Canyon

Despite Coronavirusteria, we attempted to maintain our Spring Break plans to the Grand Canyon this week.  We left Thursday morning and drove the beautiful Vermillion Cliffs area toward Flagstaff.  We stopped once to check out amazing rock formations that looked like mushrooms in an a area where indigenous people cleverly used rocks for houses.  We arrived in Flagstaff to a big snowstorm so our plans to explore the area were changed.  Instead we got Wendy's chili and tucked into our hotel room. Getting snowed in did mean Max got  a school essay done.  We finally got to sleep after a chorus of farting from all the boys.

On Friday we headed through a stunning winter landscape to get on the train.  Sadly, they had just cancelled our ride.  Instead, we drove into the Grand Canyon.  The fees were even waived!   The views cannot be understated.  It was cold and snowy so we hiked the rim trail.  The boys lasted about an hour before they became surly and headed back to the car.  Sometimes when Tony and I see families with (apparently) compliant and cooperative children doing things that are just for fun, not even sacrifice or work, we feel stunned.  How does it happen?  It's so hard not feel total resentment and rejection when we take our kids to a place like the Grand Canyon, a place most people never get to see in their entire life and only dream of.  Our kids refuse to enjoy the beauty, feel connection to us or the earth and ask to go back and sit in the car.  I want so badly for them to have the ability to have normal connection and it feels like that opportunity was stolen from them, and me,  by adoption.  Both Tony and I continue to be astounded at the power they have to suck the joy out of life.  I guess that our greatest challenge is to learn to maintain and foster joy in the circumstances we find ourselves in.

After a good 6 mile hike, we headed back through Page Arizona and had our first glimpse of Lake Powell.  It brought so many happy memories for Tony and I admit to being excited to see it up close in the boat.  We stopped in Cameron Arizona on the reservation for Navajo tacos, Indian Fry bread, and prickly pear cactus licorice.  The drive home was beautiful and we were rewarded with a rainbow in Fredonia.

Now the real challenge begins as we try and finding purpose and meaning in this quarantine.  We also have the challenge of staying connected and not succumbing to media checking out.