A Boy and His Dogs: A Picture Story

Yesterday as I left work the sun was shining. It was cool and felt more like fall, but still, the sun was shining. As tired as I was from getting up at the crack of dawn with Elliot (he decided to get up VERY early) I still needed some exercise and decided I was going for a long walk. I got home, changed my clothes, got Elliot in the stroller and headed out. I decided a half mile walk to a hilly, wooded trail, walk the trail and back home would be a great workout.

Just as we got to the trail it started raining, of course. So I got the rain guard on Elliot's stroller and my raincoat on.

One of the good things about walking in the woods is that it isn't always raining on you. Although there are times that when you look up you can see the sky and feel the drops, once you take another ten steps it's nothing but treetops and dry faces.

So I'm walking and feeling good. I'm making steady progress when I turn a corner and realize I am at the hill of doom. I know what your thinking, that doesn't look much like a hill. Well, pictures can be deceiving. When your pushing a 20-some odd pound stroller with a 17ish pound sleeping baby in it virtually straight up, IT. IS. NOT. EASY. (Picture 1 is the first part, picture 2 is after the turn.)

My heart is about to pound out of my chest (at least the hospital is close by, passed it on the way here), but I make it and I turn around to see how far I have come. Now I feel more tired than I did all day. Great, I am only halfway through this 2.5 mile trail. I am never going to make it. I hope I have cell service so I can call my husband to come get us...with a wagon to pull me back in!

I find my motivation I as look ahead, sunshine coming through the trees. I think it may have stopped raining, but that is hard to tell when I am not getting rained on half the time anyway. I trudge along, my heart rate steadies from the push up the hill and while I am growing more tired, I no longer feel like I am about to have a heart attack.

Up ahe

ad, do you see that?? It's the first of 4 bridges. I am about 3/4 of the way th

rough. I can do it! From here it's all down hill, literally, thank god. Before I know it, I am at the 4th bridge. And I only stumbled as many times as there are bridges because I keep misstepping from my lack of concentration.

Can you read that sign? A quarter mile to the parking lot, I am done! Except for that half mile walk home. UGH!

Out of the parking lot and there's the road. I made it through the trail and I have finished 3 miles of my 3.5 mile walk. I can do this. It's flat all the way home. Oh, look at that tall grass on the side of the road. I could just stop for a minute, just a little rest. No one would know if I curled up and took a little nap. Elliot is still asleep, he wouldn't care. Who knew the last half mile would be so hard?

Finally, I can see my house, my picnic table (even that looks like a good bed), finally my front door!!! I did it. I made it home and kept my eyes open the whole way. I haven't felt this tired since the days before Elliot started sleeping through the night. I am too tired to eat dinner, too tired to take a shower. I can't wait for Elliot to go to bed so I can too. I learned a really good lesson though. Never walk a very hilly, wooded trail in the rain, pushing a heavy stroller with 4 hours of sleep when you are completely out of shape.