We have been getting acquainted with the woods behind our house, venturing a little further each day. Natalie and Adam would rather play back there than the playground or the sandbox. They can't wait to uncover old logs and dig up millipedes and worms and beetles and bugs. Off they trudge, large sticks in hand, scrabbling over who is the leader this time, while I bring up the rear with Will in the baby carrier. He wiggles and laughs and kicks his legs as though he thinks he's somehow walking right behind them. I can hardly keep him from grabbing at branches and leaves along the way and often look down to find he's been dragging a large stick along with us.
We will go in circles, getting further and further tangled in the underbrush, Natalie and Adam shouting "Let's go south, we need to go south!" South seems to be whichever way they choose to go at that moment. After many minutes of roaming around we inevitably end up back at the same trickling stream.
They are convinced that around each corner could be a tiger or a koala or a large bear. I keep quiet, enjoying listening to them share stories and secrets, occasionally breaking up a fight or two and keeping on the lookout for briars and thorns. Each time we head in there we talk of what Daddy would say or do or think and how happy it makes us to know how very close he is to coming home.
He has long been a lover of the woods himself and how much we look forward to sharing these times with him.
