"Check, Check, Check"

We live on top of a rather large hill. For those of you who have not visited (you know who you are) you may ask my parents and Minda they love me, um, I mean they have visited. Almost weekly the kids have asked me to take a walk into town, now this “walk” they want to take can be over five miles and at the end of that you have this huge hill you must climb, so I being the fun-sucking mother that I am have not attempted to do this until last week. What can I say, they wore me down.

On Friday morning I decided enough was enough and they were going to get their walk even if it killed them. So we filled water bottles, got the stroller out, gathered library books to return, and put the shades on, armed with a list of stops, yes that’s right I even have to do lists for my walks, (deal with it) we set out. As we turned out of our drive way I noticed that the back tires of the stroller were low, praying that it was a hole and I might get out of this “walk” we added “Stop at the shop and air up the tires” to our list. Yes, I even add things to my walking to do list just so I can cross them off, again, just deal. So when we got to the shop I put air in the tires and prayed…God answered my prayer with a big fat NO! So we set off again. (Check off “stop at shop”)

As we went down the street we took down a list, yes yet another list, deal. This list was of the creatures we would see. We saw 2 caterpillar's crossing the street; we made up a joke about “why the caterpillar crossed the road” and so on. We saw lots of mommy birds getting food for their babies, and I added “get lunch” to my to do list. The highlight was when a freighted baby fawn tried to run across the road just 10 feet in front of us, the fawn was so tiny it was still having a hard time walking. Then we approached the “hill”. (Check off "find furry creatures")

As we started down the boys were saying things like “this isn’t so bad” and “see I can run on the hill Mom”. I being the encourager that I am said “just wait” and added "you little brats" in my head. You see I still was a little upset that Gods answer to my prayer was a “NO”. As we approached town the kids were still excited about the walk and the fun to come. Our second thing on the “to do list” was visit a new park that our city just put in. It was great fun and in the shade so we were very grateful for that.
(Check off “Visit fun new park”)

The next stop was Subway where we got two subs and 6 cookies for $13. (Check off “get lunch”) The next stop was the library. We are quite blessed to have a great library here in Libby, nice grassy area, picnic tables, trees and a great children’s room. So we picnicked in the grass and headed inside to the nice air conditioned children’s room. (Check off “return books to library”, “Eat Lunch”, AND “re-fill Water bottles” I LOVE three for one stops!)

Than it was off to Ace, Rosouers, and the Post Office for a little errand running. (Check off “mail”, “bread”, “tape” AND “re-re-fill water bottles”) As we were leaving the last of these stops the children started to think about the hill to come, and then there was a revolt to follow. Yup, it happened just where I thought it would, about a mile from home, just before we reached the hill. Brittany was the first, then Michael, then Justin, Rebekah said from the comfort of her stroller “come on guys! Mom, way are the guys sitting there?” Ahhh to be three and fit in a stroller. (Check off “three tired kids”)

When we arrived back home they ran when they saw our mail box, ran right up to the house and hugged it. Then they all said “Mommy it will be a VERY LONG time before we ask to do that again”. (Check off “never walk that hill again”) Thank You Lord for telling me NO!! (Check off “lesson learned”)