These Boots Are Made for Exploring!

A beautiful Spring-like day in January beckoned us to get outside for some major playtime and exploration this past weekend – knowing that some bitter cold temperatures would be moving back in soon.   As Doug wrote in his last post, he and Brown-Brown had recently cleared a path to the old, dried up lakebed behind our home that is now a small forest with creeks running through it. With that came great excitement in the Scott household over getting to explore this new-found territory.  But before the adventure could really begin, I had a gift for our girls.

I pulled out some new rain boots from my “gift closet” that I had purchased to give the girls at some point once Spring had sprung.  But this warm January day just seemed like the right time – what better time to give the boots to them as they were embarking on a new adventure.  The girls had grown out of last year’s boots and I prefer that they have a pair of shoes to explore in without worry of getting their “good” shoes muddy, wet or messed up. (I’m still trying to train My Resident Gardener in this area!!)

These shiny new boots were in the closet ready and waiting for a story to be told in them.  The stories these boots would tell began as soon as I gave them to our girls … who received them with squeals of delight!

I know that these boots will provide our girls with the opportunity to explore without hesitation.  These boots will carry them on many adventures … creating stories that will be told and retold.  Stories of rocks, mud, bramble bushes and creek beds … stories of coyote dens, thorns, and other real or imagined  “dangers” … stories of make-believe and acting out books that they’ve read … stories of jumping, running, resting, playing, and discovering.

These Boots Are Made for Exploring!

The girls’ boots didn’t look the same when our day of exploring was over – evidence that they played hard and explored well.  And they will look quite different once they are outgrown and many other adventures had been had in them.  These boots will be significantly changed … and so will our girls!  Being outside, exploring Creation and embracing adventure will grow our girls in a way that only such things can.  And that brings this Momma great joy!

What story are your kids’ boots telling?  Any story at all?  What can you do to encourage your kids to put on their boots and get their next adventure started?

Enjoy!