Power Walkin'

Today we did the most AMAZING thing: We went for a walk!  It wasn't the most amazing walk I've ever taken in my life.  The scenery wasn't quiet and serene like what you would find on the Chipman Trail on the way out the Troy Highway or up Moscow Mountain or on the way to Elk River Falls.  The weather wasn't cool and refreshing.  The sun wasn't rising or setting (not that we could have seen it through all of the houses, anyway).  But for me, it was heaven!

We walked down all the neighborhood roads, about 12 blocks to the next busy street.  And then we found a park there, tucked away from the road and the chaos.  And the kids slid down the one slide that wasn't too hot to sit on.  And they even braved the heated swings for a few minutes, just for a chance to SWING!!!  Isaac found someone's baseball in the sand, and that was HEAVEN!!!

And when it got too hot to stay there (and Abby needed her diaper changed, which we hadn't planned ahead for . . . sheesh, how long have we been parents again?), we saw a cute little ice cream cart and Dave bought the kids tubes of rainbow sorbet on a . . . whistle instead of a stick.  They LOVED it!!!  Every messy, dripping drop of it!

Top it off with a fantastic deal on some refreshing water -- 2 LARGE bottles for $1!!! -- and the afternoon was complete!

We ran across the majorly busy street (though I reminded Dave as we did that I AM nine months pregnant, after all, and hurrying to beat the oncoming traffic might NOT have been the best idea).

And as we walked down through the other neighborhoods between us and home, we TALKED!  We reminisced about past activities that we DEARLY miss and dreamed about the future -- where we want it to take us, what sacrifices (financial and otherwise) are worth it to get there, how we can create the best future for our kids while still having opportunities to push and excel ourselves.  And there were all those other unimportant topics . . . and the laughter and light-hearted banter that just isn't the same outside of the situation . . . least of all in writing.

And Abby and Isaac were in heaven!!!  Isaac took both whistles and pretended to give Abby medicine after she sneezed.  Abby played along for a while.  And then she was done and he hit her over the head with the new baseball -- and she was REALLY done!  And we "gently invited" (made) him to give her a hug and say he was sorry.  He eagerly complied (as soon as I threatened to take away the ball!).

And we promised to do it again.  Hopefully many, many, many more agains in the not-too-distant future!