This Ain't No Joy Ride
Hi guys!
The girls and I have been B U S Y! Even though there’s not a whole lot open right now and our options are limited, we’ve been able to keep ourselves entertained. I’m even typing on a marked up laptop screen that Scarlett decided to color on with my Flair pens while I made lunch one day. I’m really trying to work on letting the little things go. That’s what magic clean erasers are for, right?
Most of my friends and followers know that we go to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina twice a year, sometimes more. My family has a place down there and I have been going every summer since I was a newborn. It is a second home to me and it has made it high on the list of interests for my family of four. Stella asks us on the regular, “Are we going to our beach house this week?” Bless her heart! When we’re at the beach we make sure to rent bikes. If you’ve ever been down there, then you know that biking around the island is quite the thing to do.
About a month ago when we went, I also rented a cart to pull the girls around with and load our beach stuff in so we wouldn’t have to take the double stroller. We [I mean me] loved it so much! We would ride first thing in the morning or in the afternoon while daddy was golfing. I would put the music speaker in the basket and we would take a joy ride. The girls would argue at times, but they enjoyed holding their Teddy and Minnie Mouse while they searched the waters for gators.
My mom knew just how much I enjoyed our time at the beach, that she wanted to give me the same thing here at home. Gotta love her! She had a beautiful pink bike sitting in her garage that she hasn’t used in like 8 years and a few weeks ago she had this grand idea to give it to me. Yippee! It was just taking up space and collecting dust in her garage. SO very happy I can get it off her hands… ;] Along with the gifted bike came our very own cart! Scarlett calls the cart “her bike” and she knows exactly how to get settled inside. The first few rides we just stayed in the neighborhood and didn’t ride too long because it’s been so hot. I quickly learned that pulling 60 plus pounds behind that bike going up and down hills is such a challenge.
Anyway, super long story, but I promise I’m starting to get to the point of it. Sunday night I decided the next morning we were going to make the long trek to the library, which is about 3 miles from our house. That’s really not far on a bike, but I knew the large hills would definitely make it difficult. I made up my mind that I was up for the challenge. I packed snacks, lots of water, and our library card and we headed out. It was tough and exhausting and I had to get off the bike to walk the bike up a few of the hills, but the important part of the trip was what we saw on the way.
We were halfway there when I saw a dead dog laying on the road right next to the sidewalk we were on. It was going to be hard to miss and so very tragic if they didn’t. Quick thinking, I yelled, "Girls, let’s play a game and close your eyes real quick.” It was wishful thinking, because since when do they listen to anything I say the first time i ask? Instead, Stella spotted the dog right away and requested that we stop and pet it. That’s when I knew I needed to stop and have what I like to call a “teachable moment.”
First off, if the owner of that dog is reading this, I am so terribly sorry for your loss. I told Stella that the dog was dead. That it was hit by a car passing by. Accidents like that happen. It sounded so blunt that I then tried to switch gears and reminded her that this is the very reason why it’s so important that she always look before crossing the street. I even mentioned that we should say a little prayer for the dog’s family, because if that had happened to one of our dogs, then we would be so sad. She agreed. I could tell she was letting that information sink in. At this point, I’m even more out of breath and feeling pretty sad as I glanced at the dog again.
After that I could hear Stella telling Scarlett, “Did you see that dog back there? That was so sad, wasn’t it?”
We made it to the library, had a great time, and rode back home [Stella making sure she got another look at the dog]. It was super hot and my whole body was sore. But I will say, the physical part of the ride was not the hardest part. I’m sure you know why.
XO
Sarah