We went for a Walk

 Living with the in-laws as we are for this time before our big move, there is always lots of company for what ever activity is going on. Walks, water fights, egg gathering or just talking in the kitchen.
But on this particular day I wanted to go for a walk with just my girlies. Actually I wanted to get a couple miles in before it got too hot and I lost all motivation to do any sort of work out. My double stroller and the hills around here give me the resistance my body needs. I always come back renewed and refreshed. We started out strong. I was booking it, the girls were happy... and then Kilmeny asked to walk.

And I let her.

  The entire tune of the walk changed. I think we all took deep breaths.

I slowed down. My physical pace and my mental pace. I actually noticed what was around me.

The slight breeze dancing amongst the birch leaves setting them all a-flutter. The delicate white butterflies weaving in and out of the flowers.

The rich smell of hay being cut. The faint hum of the constant tractor. The beauty of innocent childhood. The fullness with which my daughter embraces life. The sweet sound of baby giggles.

I decided to let Kilmeny set the pace. She threw rocks and picked flowers. She ran ahead and then slowed right down and wrote in the dust on the road. She watched butterflies and dragonflies. She experienced a thistle. She identified the colors and textures of all the different flowers we picked. She splashed rocks in the water. 

 Khaira felt all the textures of the rocks, first one and then the other. Passing them from hand to hand as if she were weighing them. She laughed, delighted to be outside and free to explore as much as she can by crawling. 

We walked the two miles. We experienced the two miles. And I made a memory, captured a day with my girls. Summer 2012 will always have a faint smell of hay, with the whisper of birch leaves now in our memories.