I love the rain. I always have. I don't like being in it when it is cold, hard rain, but I like watching it and I like the smell. Rain mesmerizes me. I can sit for hours and watch the rain. I love it when I am sitting in the car, waiting for someone or something, and I can watch the rain making patterns on the windshield. I wait to see which puddle on the windshield will become it's own river. I watch to see how big the river can get. The smell of fresh, clean air adds to my love of rain. The only thing to rival the smell of clean rain, is the smell of a clean infant. When I lived in Utah, it was so amazing that you could smell a rain storm from far away. It would knock the dust smell completely out of the air.

The sky is so beautiful this morning. I love sitting in the office of our home and looking out over the Western sky. Even with the sunrise, the Western sky is a beautiful pale pink, washed into blue. I keep wondering if I will be able to sleep past 5:30 in the morning during the summer time, now that my body is used to Seminary time. If not, I know that my window on the world will summon me. I might even have to take up my early morning running again. I have missed my mornings in the fresh, cool air.

Look later for pictures of Braden at his Eagle Board of Review.