Putting Out the Fire

      Our family has always enjoyed spending time together in the outdoors. We are game for anything, biking, hiking, camping, fishing, it does not matter we are game. So when my wife's family decided to take a hike to the Timpanogos Cave in Utah, needless to say we were excited.

      While preparing for the trip I made a visit to one of the local mega sporting stores to pick up some of the essentials needed. While looking at everything there I did not need, I came across some smaller hydration packs for children. I decided to purchase  two of these for the boys to have. In my mind I thought it to be great idea; I will not have to carry water for them. What better way to get the boys who were age seven and three excited about the caves, then getting cool stuff for the hike. Now with all the essentials needed we were ready to go.

     Now the Timpanogos Caves hike is not a long hike, but does gain about a 1000 feet of elevation in a little less than a mile. We were all set, boys were looking good in their new packs, and were very excited to go to the caves. As we hiked I payed notice to my oldest son, Preston. Every time that I looked back at him, he seemed to have the hydration pack hose in his mouth. I counseled him to take it easy on the water; furthermore, he did not want to run out. The hike to the cave took about 40 min. Once you get to the entrance there are restrooms, for once you are inside there is no access out of the cave until you exit them 40 minutes later. Now anyone having children know that this is a very important opportunity to make your children go to the restroom; however, Preston has always been very responsible, and decided he did not need to go and entered the cave.
   
     The cave was magnificent. When I was a teen my parents took us the Lehman Caves in Nevada, and thought that was the coolest trip ever. So my expectations for the excitement my boys would have may have been a little overboard. While we were taking the tour you could see that they were amazed. Their eyes were as big as when they sneak down stairs on Christmas morning. Twenty minutes into the cave we are in a cavern that they turn the lights out in. It is so dark you cannot see the person next to you. When the lights turned back on, I looked over to see a look of fright in Preston's eyes.  As I asked him if the dark had frightened him, he emphatically said no. He then began to dance, and cry as if he were in pain. He needed to pee. Now many parents have been through similar situations, but how many were in the middle of a dark cave that was 20 minutes in either direction of an exit. Now in any other situation, I would of just had him relieve himself; however, we were in the middle of a tour group, and were just told about the delicate environment that the cave has. Being quick on my feet I quickly grabbed the hydration pack from him, and realized he had drank all of his water, approximately 1.5 liters. As we were still in this cavern the tour had started to leave the room and the tour guide was asking for everyone to leave the room. Preston was now quivering and was seconds from being like the cool people who pee their pants. I opened the hydration pack, and he quickly relieved himself filling the hydration pack to the point of spilling. I guess i forgot to mention the pint of chocolate milk, and bug juice he had right before the hike. Just then tour guide came into tell us we had to leave the room now. Feeling relieved, Preston and I caught up to the group, and finished the cave tour. Preston felt embarrassed, even though know one saw him, as well as being upset that he spilled, and may have hurt the cave ecosystem.

     As we finished the hike down the mountain, I tossed the pack into the trash. Several family members had a look of bewilderment, as I had earlier told them what a great deal they were. I left the area without making any remarks in hopes to protect Preston from embarrassment.

     So there were a few lesson of this story. First hydration packs can serve two purposes. Second, hydration packs for kids under the age of eight require adult supervision. And lastly, protection from embarrassment only lasts til your children are teens. So next time you go hiking take Preston. And if there is a fire, he will be able to put it out.

http://www.nps.gov/tica/index.htm
   
   

Bringing the Heat

     I am a very lucky Dad. I have been blessed to raise two well rounded sons. And was not until the birth of my daughter that I started to evaluate being  a father, husband, and what it means to be a man. 

     Many of my coworkers laughed when I announced that I was going to be father again. They could not understand why with only eight years til my youngest son is able to move onto the next stage of his life, and only 15 years til I can retire why I would subject myself to such an endeavor. And while my wife was pregnant I too thought of these reasons. But at no time did I have a feeling of whoa is me. I was excited and ready to take on a knew challenge. And the day my daughter was born I had a feeling of completeness. The family that my wife and I started 15 years earlier finally had a feeling of completeness. 

     Now a feeling of completeness can be used loosely. I do not mean that being complete is perfect, by know means. But something always seemed missing all these years, and the moment my little angel arrived, the missing feeling was gone. I hope to share insight into what it has been like to raise two awesome young men, and the new adventure of what raising a daughter is like. And all of this while living in what most people see as a horrible place to raise a kid, Las Vegas.