As a child, the highlight of my summers was gathering stones, leaves, and pieces of driftwood in the mountains and streams of Southern Colorado. The mountains were ripe with trophies to gather and admire. The mountains were magical in their beauty and complete "otherness." A young girl from South Texas truly learned to worship God near the headwaters of the Rio Grande River.

As a college student, geology was my favorite class. Although not the scientific type, I was fascinated by the forces of nature at play in the Earth and by God's hand in creation.

As an adult, I pursued the study of theology, a career in ministry, and growing a family. The man I married learned to love the mountains too. We continue the tradition of summer excursions to the mountains. Every trip feels like a pilgrimage, always reconnecting me to my love of the earth and it's wonders.