The Atkinsons

My morning hike with Olive.

Like most mothers my mornings are filled with a laundry list of things to do. Dishes, laundry, pay bills etc. Despite this I try to leave the house at some point every morning otherwise I feel like I am failing at both getting things done around my house and nurturing my child. This morning was like many others- I was folding laundry and Olive kept tugging at me to get up and play with her and I really was not feeling up to leaving the house (a.k.a. changing out of my hospital scrubs) but I just felt in my heart that is was the best thing to do. We drove up to rock canyon to take a little hike and within minutes I instantly knew why my heart had told me that being here was more important than clean socks. 

Since I only have one child I have the luxury of letting her choose the speed, she takes the lead and I follow. She started up the rocky path and we heard the most beautiful bird chirping. Olive instantly stopped in awe. It was one of those moments where you stop and think, this is life and it's so beautiful. Seeing Olive so enchanted by nature and discovery tugged at my heart in a way I can't describe. I so want her to know and love all of God's beautiful creations. To have a desire to be outside where I believe you can often find yourself and grow the very most. We looked for that bird and we found it! As it took flight Olive chased after it! We followed it's chirp as long as we could, it was so inviting. Then off we went to our next adventure. 

Rock Canyon is slowing becoming a special place to me. I feel so much peace and beauty there and have had such moments of personal reflection. Olive marched up the path, sometimes she'd sit down for 20 minutes and play with rocks and I just sat there with her. I didn't miss anything or feel that I should have been doing anything else. Often Olive would reach out for my hand, she just wanted the security that I was there following her. After we had hiked, stomped, explored, climbed, and thrown rocks to our hearts content she reached up for me. She looked at me and gave me a big hug and then she squeezed her little arms in close to my chest and laid down her head on my shoulder. It was time to go. After I got to the car I thought, I want to remember this. I want to remember how I felt and that I didn't care about anything else going on in the world and that right before my very eyes Olive was discovering the world, and in doing so discovering herself.