Me and God

I generally consider myself an active person and enjoy doing things outside such as biking, rollerblading and just going for walks. Now, however, I seldom get to enjoy the outdoor activities I used to do regularly.

If I’m lucky, the kids will go on a walk with me, which usually involves my oldest riding her bike while I push the other two in our double stroller. This sometimes goes smoothly, and we all enjoy a relaxing stroll on the road that we live on; other times, it is me constantly trying to keep our 2-year-old from climbing out of the stroller and trying to reason with our 4-year-old who wants to ride his sister’s bike, which is bigger than his bike and, therefore, better.

Sometimes, the two older children both ride their bikes while I push Madison in the single stroller, but most of the time, Carson cannot keep up with his trike, and he struggles to ride it up our steep driveway. So, I have to carry the trike or push him on the trike with one hand while I push the stroller with the other hand, and again, our driveway is not flat.

In early July, since the sun rises so early, I started going for walks or runs in the morning before the kids get up. I now will go out for about half an hour — sometimes more, sometimes less — and I walk or jog depending on how far I feel like going and how ambitious I am. Sometimes, I run 3 miles, or sometimes, I just walk 1.5 miles. I don’t consider myself a runner with my 12-minute mile, but I’m not training for a marathon; I am just doing it for me.

There is something about watching the sun come up and feeling productive before breakfast that is better than caffeine. Depending on how far I go, I can get about 5,000 steps in, according to my Fitbit, and that’s by 7 a.m. On days when I just get up, get the kids ready, go to work and come home, I end up having about 1,500 steps at 5 p.m.

Before kids, I used to be so dedicated to getting my 10,000 steps in every day and would not go to bed unless I met my goal. Now, even though I am outside for hours with the kids, I am not necessarily getting my steps in, although I am moving around, pushing the kids on the swing set, and working in my garden. For me, these morning strolls make me feel productive because I can see the progress on my Fitbit.

During these morning strolls, I typically listen to and pray the rosary or listen to music or to a Catholic podcast. Sometimes, I don’t listen to anything on my phone, and it is just me, the open road and God out there. It is my time to reflect on things going on in my life and think about the path I am on without the distraction of the kids or doing it at the end of the day, while I’m lying in bed, exhausted and pondering all the things I didn’t get done that day.

I love my kids, but this has become my favorite time of the day because it is so refreshing. Sure, sometimes when I get back, I am winded and my side is sore from running — hence why I only walk or jog most of the time. I do not go out every single morning and have not decided what I will do when it gets colder, as I am not a fan of the cold and it is dark until 8 a.m. But in the meantime, I will take what I can get and enjoy my “me” time as I can get it.