A short but long walk

We all went for a walk to the grocery store this afternoon. I pushed the boy in the chariot the 6 blocks down to the store. I parked the chariot outside and let the boy out and walk around with me in the store. We bought our groceries and then headed back home. Once you let the boy out of the chariot, he doesn't usually have any plans on getting back in. Today was no different, but that was OK considering that I had put the groceries in the chariot and there wasn't all that much room left over for the boy. So we began our very slow walk home. Today he actually walked all the way home. In times past he has given up and wanted to get back in after we have walked about half way home. The boy makes me smile. The entire trip is one discovery after another. He has to walk through all the fresh snow and every foot print he makes in the snow is amazing. He stops at the sound of every big truck that passes and watches it until he can no longer see it. He stops and bends down to examine pine cones, rocks, sticks and piles of dirt. There is a little cement block barrier that he loves to walk along while holding my hand. He says all kinds of things with excitement. I wish I knew what he was saying. He points to things off in the distance. Sometimes he asks "what's that?" sometimes he exclaims something else that I don't understand. I try to just tell him about what he is seeing, giving him names of things and colours. He'll pick up a pine cone or a rock and carry it for awhile before throwing it on to the road. We talk about how it feels and what it is. I love to just watch him. I couldn't help but smile the whole way home. The two older girls had ran off ahead so it was just Munchkin and the boy. It was nice to just take our time and enjoy everything around us. I love these moments.