Be Brave Like a Kid

Today, on my route home after picking Hannah and Olivia up from school, I decided we should stop, park the car and hike up one of the foothills to admire the blanket of green that has descended on these small mountains near where we live.  My girls at first thought they hadn't heard me right.  "We're going to hike up the foothill?  Right now?"  "Yes, right now," I said.  "You can stay in the car if you want, but I'm going up there to get a look."

When we have a particularly wet January/February like we have had this year, we get a treat.  The normally brown, rocky hills turn green.  (Hannah initially thought it was moss.)  Then the wildflowers come.  It doesn't last long, but it's beautiful.  My kids hear me exclaim with joy as we crest the hill, and the green of the foothills and blue of the sky is all we can see ahead of us.  So this time, I decided to stop.  Never mind that I was in a suit and heels.

We parked at the post office and then scrambled up the nearest group of hills (I've lived near real mountains, and I really can't refer to these as mountains).  The girls were beside themselves with joy that we were actually doing such a thing.  "Let's be quick," I instructed.  "All the people driving down below us are probably wondering what the crazy lady in a suit is doing."  And this was Hannah's response:  "Mom, be brave like a kid!"  "We should do this more often!" Olivia added.  So, (at least for a good 15 minutes), I was brave like a kid, and we enjoyed the view.