A Rainbow Umbrella and A Walk in the Rain

My mind was spinning with everything I would need to do in the next few days as we prepared for a trip back to the States. I wanted to get a workout in but my toddler needed outside time or he was going to start losing it. The monsoon rains had been going strong for days but at the moment, it was only a gentle serene rain. I had recently listened to the 1000 Hours Outside Podcast about the benefits of walking in the rain and came away inspired.

I put our 4-month-old down for a nap and since my husband was home to keep an eye on him and there wasn’t a torrential downpour outside, I concluded this was my chance to put my inspiration into action. I laced up my hiking boots, put on a baby carrier, hoisted my 2-year-old onto my back, and grabbed our newly purchased oversized rainbow umbrella.

I’ve never purposely taken a stroll in the rain but we both loved every minute. I killed two birds with one stone as I worked up a sweat carrying an extra 30 pounds and enjoyed the outdoors while I was at it. It was quieter than usual and we took in the pitter patter of the rain and the bird songs together under the umbrella.

We…

-discovered spider webs spattered with raindrops 

-watched a frog hop into a puddle on the side of the road 

-listened to birds cheerfully sing a morning song

-stopped under dripping water running off a roof 

-picked wildflowers for Eli to hold

-grabbed stones for him to pocket and put in his outdoor bucket at home 

-stared at fog in the valley below

Here’s your reminder to get outside when you can.