This past month has been full of travel for Bob and we 3 girls have had a lot of time together. A week ago while Bob was in Florida, my girlfriend Dawn invited us to come out for an evening hike in the desert. It is still SO HOT here so the only time to really enjoy hiking is before the sun comes up, or right before it goes down.
So we made it to the trail head around 630, connected with a bunch of other friends and headed out with 5 kids in tow around 645. Summer days in AZ last FOREVER and you can still see sunshine close to 9 at night on most days......but.......y'all, its FALL, and the sun is going to sleep much faster these days.
So as the sun began to set and we continued out on the trail we all had that moment of going.....do we turn around now, or finish the loop we were on. We, of course, all decided to continue on the loop and found ourselves a good mile and a half from the cars in the darkness. Its cool, we all have phone flashlights (not any other flashlights because.....who needs one?) but then all of the creatures that hide in the day time started to make their presence known.......awesome.
First it was a rattlesnake. Lily, Evie, and I walked right past it, but the two behind us heard its rattle, and saw it move, effectively scaring the bejeeezus out of them and my girls. Once all was well everyone pointed their flashlights at the thing in an attempt to take its picture. Lily's imagination and fear started to run away with her and I saw the terror of all the "what ifs" start to sink in.
It got darker, I have 2 unsettled kids and a dog tied to me. It's cool, its character building, we can control our fears. Inhale, Exhale. Just when I got the girls calmer and refocused, wouldn't you know it a big cholla bulb jumped onto Lily's foot. OOOOO those things are nasty. Oy, so here I am mothering my child through her screaming terror, talking her off the ledge, and navigating how we were going to remove the sucker (THANKS DEBEE for her mad cholla removing skills). We got it done and got back on the trail, but now it was dark, and the need to get to the car ever growing. Poor Lily was battling true kid fear at this point and the reality that she HAD to walk out of here. She had to continue. She really wanted to just sit and cry, especially when she stepped and discovered that the Cholla had left a barb inside of her shoe. She was overwhelmed, and I had to go into full fledged tough love Mom to help her figure out the situation.
Once I got Lily in a forward moving, deep breathing place, my dog ended up with a Cholla. Oy....this is getting better and better. So we got that taken care of and then continued on. We traversed the dark trail with our flashlights when all of a sudden a scorpion darted across the path into its hole. COME ON desert! Just when I get Lily and Evie chilled out!
I finally sent Evie up to walk with Dawn, and I took Lily for some good strength building time. We had a phenomenal conversation about fear, about courage, about understanding your surroundings, and about realizing that you CAN'T JUST QUIT. Figuring out how to be afraid, but moving forward was really a challenge and I love that we were able to tangibly walk through all of those emotions.
Evie, of course, was up with Dawn quoting scripture and telling Dawn all about snakes in the Bible. I couldn't help but smile when I heard that. Out of the mouth of Babes.
After a rolled ankle, more cholla, and a climb up a hill we saw the lights of the parking lot. Lily: "I have never been more excited in my whole life to see a car! Oh that was traumatic."
So......we are working on the whole get control of your fear and do not let it dictate your life thing.....its a work in progress....
So, we were delivered from the desert and left with a great tale to tell.
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