Dinosaur National Monument

September 19, 2006, afternoon
After lunch we drove a few minutes outside of Vernal over to the Dinosaur National Monument. Just as we got there, the hike of the day was about to start. It was billed as “strenuous” and she wasn’t kidding. The ranger seemed a bit skeptical with all the kids, but the big ones quickly grabbed a buddy, and we headed up a steep slope. Max was content to be in the backpack on Brian’s back—as long as he stayed in motion. We had several stops along the way for rest, water, and explanation of geographic formations. We got to see a spot where some dinosaur rib bones were sticking out of the ground.

Sophia was having a blast. Her only disappointment was the she had to hurry. Sophia doesn’t hurry anywhere! She has exuberantly enjoyed every aspect of this trip, from proclaiming everything she encounters as her “favorite” to loudly announcing that we should pray for the woman behind us who happened to be carrying a ski pole to use as a walking stick. The woman either didn’t hear or didn’t mind. She kept up a conversation with Sophia for much of the climb, complimenting her often on what a great hiker she is. Sophia, as is her way, took all of this as a matter of course. Self esteem has never been an issue with her—she is beautiful, she is good at everything, and if you aren’t sure about it, she is happy to remind you.