Geocaching in the Park

This past Monday evening, Christopher and I planned a Geocaching event for his Cub Scout Den. We gathered 11 containers of various sizes and shapes, created a homemade map of the park complete with lined coordinates(as no one else had a GPS device to use), labelled all the "caches" with cute little clue titles, and gave a brief presentation about geocaching and how it fits into living in and appreciating our world. Geocaching has gotten us outside to explore so many places we would have just otherwise ignored, and has been such a fun activity for all of us. It was fun to share this with others.

Jonny and Crispy did a great job hiding the caches around the park. Some were lightly buried in the snow, others in trees, playground equipment, or hanging from a sign. Crispy had even gotten one high up in the rafters of the picnic shelter! He was the designated helper for that one, as he was the only kid tall enough to reach it (and crazy enough to climb up after it).

It was fun to watch the boys in the group run excitedly around the park, following their maps, and finding the caches. I was especially proud of Melissa who took her own map and found each designated cache, all on her own! It was a gorgeous evening, though a bit nippy out, but the setting sun in the background of the park gave this activity such a quaint, earthy feel....enjoying nature, even in the middle of our long winter. If I hadn't been hobbling around with my "broken ankle" and crabby baby in the sling, I would have gotten some killer pictures that evening.

Once thoroughly chilled to the bone, the other happy-and-now-geocaching-converted-little-scouts went home. My kids banded together and picked up all the hidden caches without complaint. Some were a bit tricky to find as they had been discovered and slightly moved by many a little boy hand. As a treat for being such good kids, I took them all to Pizza Ranch for the buffet dinner. While we were getting the benefit of a delicious, warm meal that I didn't have to cook on such a busy night, we were also benefiting a boy in Crispy's grade who is battling cancer again for the second time in two years. Fundraisers have been flying for this sweet little boy, Brettly, and his family as they incur multiple medical costs for his treatments once again. The whole situation just breaks my heart, and certainly puts into perspective the things that are really important in life. And just to be sure that I was getting that message loud and clear, we happened to be sitting at a table next to a family we are acquainted with through mutual friends who lost their three year old just a few years ago due to drowning in the family backyard swimming pool. I felt a bit guilty sitting there with 6 of my kids, scrunched together in one booth. All these kids right in front of me, huggable, touchable, tangible, when all around us, life is just so uncertain and not necessarily guaranteed.

I love my kids. They are really, really great. We are very, very blessed.