My Man Darren!

Okay, so I just have to say a little about Darren. He is such a great man, husband, father. He started two years ago January taking classes at the U for his CPA designation, has studied 30-35 hours a week on accounting modules and for his exams, puts in 9-10 hour work days winding down Lehman's bankruptcy, looked at employment options for the future, all the while trying to spend quality time with his wife and children. He has given so much lately with almost super-human capacities. I literally don't know how he has done it. He has one final exam in January and then he is done! Hooray for Darren and for us all!

To lighten the load and give a release from stress, we started in August to get a sitter once a week to hike just the two of us. Mid-October, we hiked from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to the South Rim (8800 feet elevation, all the way down to the Colorado, then back up to 7800 feet elevation). It was a whirlwind 48 hour trip, but well worth it. Hiked around 27 miles in total (including side trips to Waterfalls, etc) and completed it in 10.5 hours. It was such a rush to see the beauty of the Grand Canyon, but complete a physical feat like that together. So here is my man in all his glory the day after our hike as we prepared to drive home.

The group that hiked (his friend at work goes every year and coordinated the whole thing)

Crossing the Colorado together and just loving being "people" without kids!

One of several signs along the way that read:

"Warning: Do not attempt to hike from rim to rim in one day"