We used to take long walks in our beautiful hilly neighborhood before we had kids. Conversations that we had in those walks while not worrying where we would end up or how long it would take us to get back home are what always made those walks very memorable to us to this day. In our regular short walks, we always remember those long walks and talk about how we can't do that anymore as we have two kids to push in stroller.
This afternoon, we started one of those regular short walks. Half way through our regular route, spontaneously, we decided to take a different route. As we started enjoying the conversation between us, we kept walking. After a little while, we realized it is getting close to dinner time. Then I wished I grabbed my valet so we could have grabbed dinner somewhere in our walk which would have been fun. Ironically, I always grab my valet and phone just in case of any emergency, but not this time. As we were by a store where there is a bank that we bank with inside, I thought of giving a try if they can let me take some money out without any identification. I walked in there, explained the situation, and, they graciously let me answer some questions and then draw some money. Then we are set to walk to Costa Vida which is 2 miles away from our house to grab dinner. On the way, when several people driving by giving us big grins and one guy giving us thumbs up, we realized that, with two kids in the stroller, one kid on the way in my wife's belly, and walking in Bountiful area, we fit in our neighborhood very well. My ear piercings are hard to notice while driving by though, if you know what I mean :). Our two good looking dogs walking by the stroller and the bike helmet on my daughter's head that she refused to take out after biking at home before we left on the walk could be eye catching to the people driving by as well. As we were walking, my wife started feeling her pregnant belly getting heavy and started wondering if she can make it back wittingly in her way. I told her that I would call one of our friends to come and pick us up. Then, I thought in myself, as God is blessing us this spontaneous activity of quality time, he might just bring someone that we know to drive by and give her ride back home if we end up needing ride for her. I even specifically thought of our friends Johnsons who live few streets up the hill from our house.
We went to Costa Vida, parked our stroller in front, tied our dogs to a stand, gave them some water and started enjoying a nice dinner. They got several people from the restaurant to pet them for a while. While we were eating, I said to Autumn, we should grab a movie at the Top Hat video store that is in the same strip mall after dinner. She said that they might not rent it out to me as I don't identification with me. But, I said I'll give a try. After dinner, we stopped at the video store, and, again, they graciously let me rent out two movies. We started walking back home, passed the store, and started approaching a very steep part up the hill to get to our home. I can tell my pregnant wife is wishing that she is home already as it is getting heavy on her back. Leela was enjoying walking. We had to wait for her trying to fix her shoe for a minute. As she is done fixing her shoe, we looked up to start walking, and then noticed a car waiting in the middle of the road in the buffer between the lanes a little ahead of us. It is Andrea Johnson in the driver's seat, rolling her window down and asking us if we need ride. She said that she is driving that way and she could give us ride. As Autumn and Leela rode with her back home, I walked the rest with our dogs and Rohan while thanking God for His providence in little things making them last forever.
