Caves and the Fourth of July

On June 30, our one year anniversary of our engagement, Neil and I went to Carlsbad caverns in southern new Mexico and walked down a path into one of the world's largest underground caves. We walked down a steep hill and into the mouth of the cave where we could smell bat guano and the 100+ degree temperature dropped as we descended until it was about 54 degrees. I had been to Carlsbad before and been in the same cave when I was ten or eleven, but I didn't appreciate it then the way I do now. It is incredible. It has taken hundreds of thousands of years for all of the mineral formations in the cave to form and scientists are finding possible cures to cancer in some of the bacteria that lives only in pools of water found in the caves. Despite the fact that Neil took us the wrong way and we got there two hours later than planned, it was a great day and a perfect way to celebrate our engagement. Nothing like a good adventure.

For the fourth, we went home to see my family and celebrate my grandma's 80th birthday. I can't believe she is 80. Age sneaks up on us. I have been wanting to be older most of my life...I wanted to be 10 so I could have a double-digit age... I wanted to be 12 so I could have my bat mitzvah, 15 so I could drive, 17 so I could go to rated r movies, 18 so I could gamble and get credit cards and vote, 21 so I could drink. And all this time I have been willing time forward...closer to the end of my life and my parents and grandparents' lives. And I never realized it before.
for my grandma's birthday...we ate. And I saw my brother and parents and in sum, it was good. I love my family and feel lucky when I get to be with them...
in a hurry... gotta post this now.