Happy Hikers

I love to be outside in nature, as you probably know. As far back as my memory extends being outside has always been a source of both excitement and peace for me. I love the feeling of adventure I get when I set out to explore a new trail or even just a new grove of trees or stretch of sand. I also love pausing to enjoy a new panorama and feeling so close to heaven, and knowing that truly the earth must have been created by a loving God because surely this beautiful place was made by a master artist and not as some random accident. I think these little sweethearts have a similar affinity for the outdoors, and I'm openly trying to encourage it by taking them on adventures in our rugged Utah mountains.

For some reason I got an itch to go hiking while Benjamin was gone in Michigan, and decided I'd take the boys on a trail to Dog Lake. I hoped my cousin Kristin would be able to join us with her kids, but (bless her heart, she is a worrier) she was concerned her kids looked like walking T-bone steaks to a mountain lion and didn't feel up to coming without her husband. Well, I couldn't be swayed and took these little troopers all the way to the lake and back, a total of around 4.5 miles. I intermittently carried Tommy in the backpack, but he walked quite a bit and Miles of course walked the whole darn thing! Because of Tommy's size and my weak pregnant state, I had to use a tree to help me stand up every time Tommy wanted back in the pack, which I'm sure looked ridiculous, although I was grateful there were a number of other people on the trail should an emergency arise. It was steeper than our guide book suggested, and in hind sight it was quite frankly stupid for me to do that strenuous of a hike 4 1/2 months pregnant with two small children who could not help me in an emergency and who I would have difficulty helping. But when I considered turning around (which happened several times) Miles told me, "No, Mom! We can't quit! I want to see the lake!" and encouraged me onward. I was proud of his determination and didn't want to be a quitter myself, so on we went! I have to admit that I was disappointed by the lake, however. I was expecting a beautiful glacial lake like the ones in the Ruby Mountains where I often hiked as a teenager, and instead Dog Lake was basically a large puddle with a muddy shoreline. The boys didn't mind, though, and most importantly we survived! And no one quit and made me carry them out! Sure love these little hams! They are sure sweet and tough!