Introductions are hard:An Origin Story

A few years ago, one summer Sunday afternoon not long after baby boy #4 was born, little boys 1,2, and 3 had energy to burn and two tired parents needed out of the house.  "Let's take the boys for a hike by the lake" my husband said-something we had done from time to time but not frequently with a newborn and kids aged 2, 4, and 6.  We picked a short, easy but lovely trail just a few miles from our house and something wonderful happened; the kids got tired, but the tired parents got refreshed.  There is just something about fresh air and sunshine that is so good for my soul.  I think we went maybe a mile that day (lets me real, that postpartum period is tough) but it lit a spark.  The next weekend, on a sunny, summer, Sunday afternoon my husband looked at me and said "lets take the boys for a hike by the lake".  We stayed close to home that summer, finding new trails to explore into the fall.  We started packing a picnic lunch and searching the internet for new and exciting places to explore. Soon our newborn baby wasn't so new anymore and little boys 1,2, and 3 could go farther and we began to realize there are so many amazing places to see, so much to experience in the years we have left with all of our children at home.  Because in the long haul, they are only ours for the moment.