remembering moments

I grew up in a tiny town in Arizona called Eagar.  It is on the far eastern border near the New Mexico state line about in the middle of the state.  I have happy memories of my childhood and my husband and I lived there the first 10 years of our marriage when our children were born and while they were little.  I was lucky to have my two older brothers live there as well.  We all lived within a mile of each other with my parents as well.  It was a wonderful time for all of us. We moved to Utah in 1990.  We went up there the last time we were home.

I'm being nostalgic because right now our beautiful mountains are on fire and we are losing so much of them.  Our surrounding towns are in danger.  It is really scary. http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/05/arizona.wildfires/index.html

I think back on all the time we spent on these mountains, the special moments my children spent with my dad camping, building "forts" and the time spent with their uncles and aunts as well.  We had family reunions, family campouts, easter egg hunts and picnics.  My kids still talk about these precious moments with fond memories.  We lost my father to cancer in 1994 so it is heart wrenching to see his mountain home in flames.  He was born and raised in these mountains.  He saw the world change from the transportation of horses to space shuttles. My mom tells me they had to fight to save the old log cabin he lived in as a boy from this devistating fire.  Some of my favorite memories as a child are going up there with him and hearing the stories of his childhood.  This log home is where my parents' love story began as well.  It means everything to me.

It just drives home that we need to remember to cherish every moment, and every memory. My dad spent every minute he could with his grandkids and my husband is doing the same.  It doesn't matter what they are doing, just spending time, that's what is important.  I took this picture when we went to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving.  It thought it showed a precious moment between my husband and our grandson, just looking out the window at the vegas lights.