I finally got through the 5.2 million photos I took of our trip to Zion National Park, and did my best to narrow it down to just under 30 pics – phew! My camera finger was trigger-happy, and for good reason! Zion is an incredible sight and experience – one my family and I will truly never forget. The incomparable scenery definitely made a lasting impression on me, but so did a chance meeting with a lovely, older Dutch couple we met on a shuttle bus….

As we loaded our small tribe onto the bus, their eyes grew wide as we walked passed, and the husband asked, “Are all of dem yours?” He nodded toward our children. We laughed a “yes.” His eyes lit up even more, as if he couldn’t believe the sight of them, and remarked in both amazement and clarification, “Two boys, and two girls?!” We smiled another yes, and he said, “Wow. You must be so, so dankful for dem!” His wife leaned over him with an equal mix of amazement and wistfulness in her eyes, and said knowingly, earnestly, in her beautiful Dutch accent, “You must dank God eferyday day for dem.”

I was truly touched. I don’t know their story – if they have cherished children of their own, if they lost a child, or if they perhaps were unable to have any of their own, but I was deeply touched that they saw our children, as we see them: as precious gifts and absolute miracles – each one. We’re so used to the negative responses we tend to get from people when they see all our littles so close together in age. We often get sympathetic glances, or jokes, or rather crude comments like, “You do know how babies get here, right?” I am grateful to say, with rock-solid conviction, that I do thank God for each one of my children every, single day, and I’m so grateful for that sweet, Dutch couple that allowed me to easily acknowledge this, versus having to counter, or defend it. I love that our children were the reason we were able to share a profound, kindred moment with complete strangers, that live half a globe away. A lasting impression, indeed.

Ready for some other lasting impressions? Here ya go.

Taking in his view at lunch

Our hike up to the Emerald Pools

Emerald Pools

One day there was definitely not enough! Another Zion trip needs to be in the works.

Happy weekend! My fam and I are starting off on another adventure today, so the blog will be pretty quiet next week. You can follow us on Instagram, if ya miss us!

xx -Carrie

SMP Founder + Mama x 4