River Time

A friend recently wrote her own blog post about how hiking with her kids has changed over time. That as they are now older, they are more able to explore further away from her. Her role has changed for them, being there for them to touch base with, provide snack, hear what discoveries are being made. She is now able to take photos along the trail, follow a little more what catches her eye.

It got me thinking about how hiking for me and the kids during the week is always changing. From having Shai in the backpack chatting about what he saw, to walking at an incredibly slow pace to accommodate his tiny legs and his big plans, to insisting that he join the bigger kids off the trail. I find myself exploring off the trail with him, partly to help him out a bit and partly to give the bigger kids free hands. I am loving the discoveries we are making, the situations I am getting into (literally) and the new perspectives I get to see. Shai is enjoying sharing every discovery he makes with me, insisting I fully stop to take it in. The worms, the ants, the flowers, the leaves, the birds. He is also insisting that each one gets a photo, including a photo of him at his favorite stops.