Walking Wednesdays--A Keeping Us Pleasant Start

Today is supposed to be nature walk Wednesday, but instead it was running dangerously low on milk, must go to the store Wednesday. (No, today I can't get both squeezed in.) I prefer nature walk Wednesday. In fact, I was reminded that I go shopping on the days Chris is home for a reason. And that I severely limit the decisions my children make (we looked at little girl socks for fifteen minutes this morning!) for another related reason.

But that isn't what I wanted to talk about today. I wanted to talk about the little walks we take everyday. Perhaps nature walk Wednesday will spill over into blogging--walking Wednesdays. No commitment. I don't know what I would talk about that often.

Again, I am distracted. Oh my.

I decided that we needed a daily walk (we haven't had one yet today and I am feeling it). My mother would say it was to "blow the stink off of you." I find that an accurate description of the purposes of our daily walks though perhaps more of the emotional, attitude stinks than physical ones. But, I have more reasons than just that.

talk about stink, one downfall: poop in a bag

1. We have a big dog who misses us but must be walked so he can contain his joy at being in our presence. He has also hurt his other leg so fetch and other rough-housing type activity is out. It teaches responsibility and stewardship of our gifts.
2. I can exercise, and de-stress at the same time while in the presence of my children. I was walking the one block of our road over and over and over for 30 minutes, but that was not something I wanted to continue during the quiet time I needed for thinking.
3. We are building a habit and a tradition and a transition time between morning and work. Moving our bodies to grow strong is as important as practicing our phonics to read well.
4. Abigail can regale me with stories of her other family who recently underwent specialized medical treatment in Germany for a bizarre dental condition that caused their teeth to fall out prematurely and mimicked cancer in adults. (It is amazing to see her work out all her worries and fears--dentist and very-ill friends were heavy on her heart.)
5. We can be outside where everything seems better.

When we started, Simon walked. But then he hated it and made everyone else hate it. Now, he rides his tricycle built with a handle for pushing parents. Basically it is an interactive stroller because he became too-cool for the stroller. He calls it his handle bike. So I push and he pedals. George tries to recognize every canine presence in the area and the neighborhoods beyond, and Abigail talks or runs ahead.

sometime they beat the vegetation with sticks. i go with it.

We come back to the house to let the rabbits out (ideally), get a drink, and start our day. It is a fine beginning.

And today, I remember why we shouldn't skip it.