McKinney Falls

Tim's been home a bit more these days, so we've gone twice to do some half-day hikes in the Austin vicinity. Here's how it goes when we announce the day's outing to the kids:

Parents, enthusiastically: "Okay guys, after we eat breakfast and do our morning lists and play a little bit, we're going to go to [insert beautiful woodsy spot here]! Ho ho ho!"

Kids: "Whyyyyyy? We don't waaaaannna go!" Kvetch, kvetch, kvetch. (Yeah, I know, your kids never whine.)

Parents: Why? Because we're mean parents who like to make you SUFFER! (evil chuckle)

Eventually, we go. Today, it was McKinney Falls, and our friend Grace, who's staying with us right now and commanding the children's supreme affections, came along. See what a miserable time we had?





Actual dialogue overheard while crossing the creek:
Child: Is it time to go home soon?
Parent: Nope.
Child: Yay!

Drama aside, there's just something about these little outings that calms the soul, and spirit too, even when there's cleaning, decluttering, organizing to be done at home. Maybe it has to do with looking around at natural world and remembering that the One who ordered this whole, intricate amazing universe is the same One who's ordering and holding together my own personal universe.