Addiction

I looked up the word addiction on Wikipedia and this is what I got:


Historically, addiction has been defined as physical and psychological dependence on psychoactive substances (for example alcohol, tobacco, heroin, caffeine and other drugs) which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested, temporarily altering the chemical milieu of the brain.

Addiction can also be viewed as a continued involvement with a substance or activity despite the negative consequences associated with it.

So, there you go. I am addicted to walking while pushing my kids in the stroller. ..continued involvement with an activity despite the negative consequences associated with it. How sad. I never have thought of myself as one who has an addictive personality but it's true and the first step towards recovery is recognizing there is a problem. So there you go. There is a problem.

I have always walked with my kids! I constantly walk while I am pregnant and ever since I have had my kids I have walked while pushing the stroller. I love it! I love it when I run into people in town and they recognize me because I walk past their house. I love the fresh air. The exercise. I love belting out the ABC's as we walk. Playing "I spy" as we pass the same landmarks. I love walking to the library to get books. Walking to my sisters. Walking up to my aunts. Walking and meeting up with friends part way. Walking to the park. Walking in the rain and in the snow. Walking in the heat and accumulating back sweat. Walking and talking with friends. Walking as a family. Walking the dog. Walking and then sporadically deciding to run..... I truly love all of it.

Walking relaxes me. It rejuvenates me. It is a huge stress relief (especially the sporadic runs). It definitely does something to my brain too. I feel better after I have walked.

Before I was married, like when I was 18 to be exact, I made a list of the things I wanted in a husband and one of the things on the list specifically states that, "he will want to go on walks with me just for fun." And guess what? HE totally does!

As my children grow up they get heavier and for the past while it has been hurting my body to walk. My double stroller doesn't have a pivoting front wheel so at corners I have to lift the whole thing up to turn, or jerk it hard, and it does a huge number on my shoulders. It's so frustrating to me. It's something that I love to do and yet, it is really hurting my body. The straw that broke the camels back was a few weeks ago I walked up the hill to a friends, pushing Adelle and Emmett (70+ lbs), and the next day I totally hurt and felt like I needed to go to the chiropractor. No good at all.

I cried. I didn't understand why something that made me feel so good could also make me feel so awful for the next few days. I knew I had to do something else. That is when I got the bike idea. I called up my aunt because she has a nice bike that she isn't currently using and then I had Jeff snag the bike trailer from my mom's and...
Ta Da. I have a new ride.

So now I am a biker, but I must say my heart is still a walker. I haven't gotten the hang of the whole bike thing yet. It's way more complicated then the walk. I have ridden my kids to the library and they loved it because it went fast and the bumps were intensified. I have ridden up small hills and I am learning to shift the gears. I have talked on my cell phone while riding the bike but that is not safe and I quickly stopped doing that! I have tried to ride up the huge hill to my friends and I humbly had to turn around and coast down because I thought I was going to die and I didn't know how my kids would get home if I died on the side of the street.

I still walk Braxton to school (basically across the street) and if Jeff is home we still walk and I let him push the stroller. I still love to walk, but, I am listening to my body because it's the only one I've got and it's gotta last.

So there you go. And be nice to bikers. Share the road!