Garrett Went Hiking!

Yesterday our neighbors invited us to go to a park nearby, just at the edge of the Owyhee Mountains. It was Jump Creek Park, known for its canyon trail leading to a small pond and pretty waterfall. I was excited to take the children because I heard it would be very cool in the canyon, and the trail to get to the waterfall and pond was only about a quarter of a mile, so I knew Addie and Garrett could handle it. The drive was about 12 minutes, and the hike was wonderful! It was a primitive trail, crossing Jump Creek once where we had to walk from one rock to the other to cross without getting our feet wet.
But the big deal, not to downplay the overall experience for the whole family, but the BIG DEAL was how well Garrett did!! He was so brave, so normal....kind-of. He had many, many freak out and scream moments when he would fall, slide on the loose rocks, the first time he got into the water up to his ankles when he felt how cold it was, etc., but overall, he was like a normal boy. He wanted to play in the water, walk out into the pond all the way, climb on the rocks, walk in the water down the creek...it was so exciting to me. Grouchy did some climbing higher onto the sides of the canyon, and Addie and Ainslee went with him more, so I gladly stayed with my little guy, and I was sore from smiling so much! It was dreamy, normal, reckless.....all the exploring he did! I had to stay right with him to steady him. He doesn't have his mountain goat feet yet like the girls do, and he did take some nasty spills....one with me falling alongside him!! OUCH!!


Here he is exploring the water. I took his old running shoes, and he loved having just the shoes, no socks, and tromping through the water!! IT WAS COLD WATER!!!
























This rock was very fun. It was one solid rock with a hole large enough to walk through!! One end's opening was larger, and the other, the smaller with the exit out to a hill that was hard to navigate down, but we did this over and over and over!! Here is Ainslee helping Garrett explore.

The children enjoyed all of the freedom and water!

Our neighbors were nice enough to take this shot for us.

We hope to return to Jump Creek Park soon, and if you come to visit in the warmer months, we will be sure to take you!!!

Please continue to pray for Samuel's family as they wade through these days without him.

Godspeed,

CL