YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN

Woke up today (oh sorry... yesterday now). Decided not to go running because my back was still hurting. Went into the office around 8:45am and proceeded to tackle a few of my To-Do items. Clay (Jolly, not Walker) stopped by around 11:00 and we decided to continue painting the Youth Room around 2:00pm. (We are in the process of renovating our Youth Room (click here to see).

Ok, so that's not it.

Anyway, came home at 12:00pm ate some leftover's and watched COPS. Went back and finished some things, started painting at 2:00pm. Shelly brought us Sonic drinks (go Shelly!). Wrapped up around 5:00pm, came home and ate dinner.

Here is where the story gets a little unusal.

By 6:18pm we were out the door and on our way to the Lake. We like to go walking and we decided to try a new trail close by the dam. I was carrying Claire in a backpack. Shelly and Ashlin were walking. We started on one trail and then decided that it was not 'rough' enough so we backed up to the "Equestrian" trail. It was supposed to be a short walk over to the other side of the road where the State Park rests. However, 1 hour later we were still walking. It took so long because the trial was sand. I’m talking pure, sifted, deep-desert sand. Very hard to walk in (unless you were Claire).

We finally made it to the underpass to the main road and Shelly said, "There ain't no way we can make it back, you're going to have to go get the car." We were still unsure how much farther the trail went but it didn't matter because we needed to be going anyway. So I decided to head back myself. I left my family vulnerable in a road tunnel (complete with graffiti). In case you feel like deducting points from my Man Card... please wait!

I gave Shelly my cell phone and said I'll be back. I walked a bit looking back at my resting family and remember thinking, "dang I hope I see them again". What happened next will exist in history as the fastest (and I'm sure ugliest) feat ever recorded. Through shin-high sand, horse poop, rocks, and the occasional low-lying limb I RAN. I ran for the protection of my family, I ran for men everywhere, but mostly I ran because I bet Shelly I could make it back to the car under 10 minutes. I doubled back about 1/4 a mile and then jotted over to the service road that the trail followed. It was on then!

At 9 minutes and 33 seconds (I timed it) I grabbed the handle of my car door. Not since holding my two newly-birthed children have I felt anything so gratifying. At approximately 12 minutes I pulled up on the side of the main road and saw my three girls sitting exactly where I left them. I was triumphant! I was their hero! And I was very close to passing out.

Came home, bathed the girls, and watched King Arthur (that is one good movie!) Now I sit and type because I still can't feel my legs.