Jim, Derek and I flew to Colorado for two days so Derek could participate in a football camp at the Air Force Academy. An added bonus to these two days was that we would be able to hang out with Jake too.

We met the tall one at the Visitor’s Center, where two falconers were showing off falcons to passersby. We posed with them.

The four of us grabbed some lunch then dropped Jake off for his afternoon class. Back in the fall, our family hiked Eagle’s Peak, and since Derek had to get back for school, he was not able to join us. Climbing up this mountain was something he had wanted to do since then, so the three of us scrambled up.

The view was just as beautiful as we remembered it, and Derek soaked it in.

Being amid the silence and rich smells of the mountain, one cannot help but reflect and appreciate God’s creation. No phones, no traffic. Peace.

The next day Derek attended the camp. The facilities were impressive.

The boys were measured and timed. What Derek appreciated the most, though, was meeting the coaches and learning about the program.

He and Jim had a good heart-to-heart talk about seeking God’s plan and keeping football and even his own future in perspective. After that, we waited for Jake to finish class. Derek found a piano in Arnold Hall and played for a while. This is how he decompresses.

I asked Jake to meet us after class in his school uniform so I could snap a picture of him with Derek in his camp shirt.

We enjoyed one last meal together, then after dropping Jake off at school, the three of us flew home.