Maternity updates, walks and hikes

Maggie is still keeping Walter all to herself. Mama and I think it is a little selfish of her but we know that she cannot hold out much longer. She lost her mucus plug this morning so she will go into labor pretty soon. Then she will have to share. Mama is certainly anxious to meet her new grandson.

There are several women from the church that check up on her each morning. They are all rooting for her so Mama and I are certain that there will be adequate help once the baby arrives. They have been waiting longer than Mama and I have for all practical purposes since they have been tracking Maggie’s progress on a more visual basis for longer than Mama and I have. It is kind of fun to share the experience.

The weather has been beautiful today. Early this morning Mama and I took Cathryn and went to the glacier this morning. It seemed like a good opportunity to get some sunny day pictures – and that is exactly what it turned out to be. It was very crowded at the visitor center and every walkway around it but it was still beautiful. We got pictures of the mountains, the glacier and Mama and Cathryn. We even had the opportunity to have someone take a picture of me and Mama – at several different times. It was fun.

One particular couple we talked to told us that they had come in on one of the cruise ships and had rented a car for the day versus taking the tour being offered by the cruise line. The cost of a bus ride to the glacier was $50 per person; just to ride a bus to a free National Park. He rented a car for the day for the same money. Mama and I suggested they go to the harbor so he could see the sights from that vantage point – since he had the car for the day.

When we got back from our morning out Maggie took us to a burger joint at the harbor right next to the area where Aaron works. It was almost right on the water so after we waited for our food – almost an hour – we took some pictures of the harbor. The tide was out when we took the pictures but you can only tell by the level of the docks on the huge guides that keep them in place during the changing of the tides.

Later when Aaron got home Aaron, he and  I went on a walk on the back side of Mendenhall Lake and got some panoramic pictures of the lake and glacier. The trail we were on took almost two hour to cover. It was quite steep at some places as we wound our way to the top of the small mountain to the overlook. That was the only disappointing part of the hike. The overlook was hemmed in by large trees obscuring the view that may have once been there.

It was worth the hike and the pictures we got on the way.