What a month, what a month!
Even with lots of rain, sickness, that work-from-home life, and just life in general, we met our goal with about a week to spare. Hip hip hooray! This was our fourth Hike It Baby Challenge, and although our numbers were lower across the board this time around, this was definitely my favorite challenge yet -- no doubt about it! Braxton either hiked, walked, or rode his bike for most of it, and Bethany was so content to see the world whether she was in the stroller or the carrier. I feel like my babies grew up so much over this past month, and I'm just so proud of them. They've spent more time in creation in their short life than many adults I know, and that's a huge part of why we do what we do. The best part -- they genuinely love it!
Since the first of September, we have hiked four different trails, took sixteen strolls/bike rides around our town, and spent a total of 3,690 minutes outside -- that's over sixty intentional hours outside over the last thirty days. In addition to hiking and strolling, we went to the apple orchard twice and played our hearts out (when the weather permitted) in our backyard. I'm a big believer in quality over quantity, and although this challenge sets a number as the goal, it really is so much more than that for us. For us, hiking is all about connecting with our Creator through His handiwork, hanging out with our friends as we trek towards a common goal, enduring through pain and frustration, and getting stronger -- not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.
One of the toughest things I've ever physically done happened this month, too; just a few days ago, actually. I've been hiking since I was a little girl, but my love for it grew exponentially when I lived in Los Angeles for a short stent right before graduating from Clemson. On one of the hikes I went on that summer, I saw a woman carrying two small children up a mountain. I was so impressed, and I vowed at that exact moment that I would do this one day. Fast-forward to our last hike, I knew that tandem was going to come into play -- and I was so excited! But I'm not going to lie -- it was DANG HARD. I only carried them both at the same time for just short of a quarter of the way, but it was enough to make my legs shake and my body hurt for the next few days. That small percentage doesn't stop me from being proud, though! That's more than EIGHTY EXTRA POUNDS that I toted on a trail rated strenuous! Most of you reading this will call me crazy, but that's fine by me -- the aches and pains were definitely worth the empowerment that I felt then and still feel now.
Last year when I carried Braxton up Table Rock, I chanted this to myself with almost every forward motion: "I'm not trying to win someone else's race, I'm trying to win my own." And that's still true today. Not just in hiking -- goodness, no. In everything I do in life. Less comparison and more gratitude. Less complaining and more facing challenges. Less fear and more faith.
I sincerely hope that my kiddos are inspired to embrace strength and do hard things by watching their mama do the same. I hope that they learn to chant, "I think I can, I think I can!" to themselves because they've watched their mama believe in herself. I hope they learn their limitations and don't bite off more than they can chew in the name of pride by watching their mama humbly put one foot in front of the other at her own pace.
And more than anything, I hope that they gaze in wonder at all that the Lord has made, never ceasing to thank Him for every little detail they notice, by watching their mama lift her hands in praise, albeit often times right there with her shoes in the dirt.
On our trek up to Rainbow Falls, I intentionally wore one of my favorite shirts that reads "don't waste your motherhood." This call to action resonates so deeply with me, because to waste my motherhood is to waste so much more than just my life. To waste my motherhood would be to waste my impact on my kiddos' childhood. And to me, nothing is worth that.
They're both warriors whose stories will (and have already begun to) change the world. So, "wasting" isn't a word that I ever want our lives to be marked by.
David said it best in Psalm 90, verse 12:
"Help us to remember that our days are numbered, and help us to interpret our lives correctly."
Yes, friends, that sums it up for me.
Trail Hikes: 4
Trail Miles: 14.8
Total Miles: 35.8
Total Minutes Outside: 3,690
Here's to gearing up for another challenge next spring, this time (Lord willing) with two walkers in tow! And here's to making the most of our lives for the glory of the One who gave them to us.
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