We finally saw a bear! All this time in Virginia, and we never saw a bear!

Phew. Life has been all over for the past few weeks. Here's a short recap before I go telling stories from May.

• Cole graduated from law school. Woot!
• Bud, Michele, Kady and Maggie did a little vacationing with us in Virginia.
• We drove to Kansas, which included a stop in Omaha, Nebraska.
• We spent two days in Phillipsburg, Kansas, with family.
• Surprised my brother in Kinsley, Kansas, for his birthday! Surprise!!
• After the surprise, we did some dancing and then stay in Garden City, Kansas, with Janel and Dillon (yay!).
• More driving across long expanses of nothing.
• We arrived in Cali and moved into our new apartment and are sorting out life.

So, that's that for now. I will just back to May 20 — Cole's birthday!

He enjoys hikes, and we all liked him enough to go. The first of our two hikes took up up to the top of Stony Man Mountain. This short hike took us up to beautiful view of the Shenandoah National Park.

Michele watches as Cole, Bud and Maggie wander and climb on the rocks.

After a short upward hike, we got to see this beautiful panorama view.

Cole and Maggie celebrate their mountain climb.

Pro hiker here with his boots.

They made it!

The next hike took us down to the base of a handful of waterfalls. As we hiked down into the White Oak Canyon Falls, Cole, Bud and Maggie detoured off to climb on the rocks and cross the water. Michele and I stayed on the path, at least until we got to the bottom. At the bottom, we had to somehow make our way over to the water. The other three called for us to come over toward them. While making our way toward them through the trees, Michele says a word that makes me run: SNAKE! We both move the fastest we have moved all day up the little ridge. Turns out we saw a copperhead snake. Apparently they aren't super deadly, but that doesn't make me any less afraid of them. After that incident, we spent some time enjoying the base of the falls before the dreaded hike out.

Just Cole falling while hoping on rocks.

Cole loving his birthday hike.

Cole checks out the water as it nears the waterfall.

Two explorers wandering around on a log.

Bud and Maggie climb up on the rocks.

Eww. So many bugs.

Maggie checks out the cold water.

SNAKE!

We made it to the bottom of the waterfall.

Smiles because we only have been hiking down.

Maggie enjoying her Virginia hike.

Michele and Bud rest at the bottom of the hike.

The long, beautiful waterfall.

After a day of hiking, we made it back from the bottom of the waterfall.