I'm no GONNA girl.

I will not win any parenting awards for this one. I had a fun weekend get away planned to take my kids to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. There we stayed at a nice hotel and enjoyed the hot springs pool. The next day, I wanted to take my kids on a hike to Hanging Lake.

I had attempted the hike several years back, when I was still married to their dad and they had not been born yet. He had encouraged me about half-way up the mountain to stop and go back down. I think he said he was tired, or bored...or something. This was not something that (I would later find out) was not an unusual claim when he was hitting the "I just don't wanna" or how I eventually nicknamed him as a "gonna guy." He was always gonna do this or gonna do that or gonna say this or that or whatever the occasion might be but he was just always gonna. I have been determined since the time of being divorced not to rule my world by a bunch of gonnas - but rather teach my kids the importance of actually doing what you say you are gonna do. They are slowly getting  used to that (among other things that have changed since the divorce).

So the inital part of the hike is as simple as walking a bike-path along a river. It is simple and easy. But then the hike takes a turn and there are signs everywhere that say "be careful" and "strenuous hike ahead" and "Be prepared." I tried to divert the attention of my kids thinking that a twelve and ten year old child can certainly bound up a 1.2 mile hike no problem (I had seen them run in circles many times before and knew that the distance would not be a problem).  I made sure that we all had water bottles (and my daughter even got to wear the water backpack).  I had packed snacks. After all, I am a prepared mom!

At the first bridge, my son said he was tired. He is a mini-me of his father. I would not let him quit!  Football is his life and in particular, Michigan Football (another product of his dad's brainwashing I believe). He happened to have on his Michigan jersey at the time. When he started complaining... (and I'm not PROUD of this) I had had it. I informed him that the University of Michigan would not be proud of a quitter wearing their colors or jersey. And I told him that furthermore, a football player no matter where he went to school would not be the quitting type. They would work hard and do what their coach told them.

Apparently, my word hit the mark because he go up enough to go to the next bridge (bridges were for breaks I told them). At the next bridge he complained again this time louder and with more intensity. Like he wanted to go home. I had had it with him. I sat him down and said a few things to him... I told him that the last time I came I didn't get to the top to see the beautiful lake. That I had promised myself that if I had the opportunity to come back I would see it. That I expected more from him. He is just a kid with lots of energy. I told him that he had two choices: He could either sit there an wallow in sadness as his sister and I went tot he top (and it would take about an hour) and hope that a mountain lion didn't drag his carcass off or two - he come along. But he could not so and sit in the car. I wouldn't give the keys to a 12 year old. And Glenwood Springs was too far away for his dad to come and rescue him (it is about two and a half hours from Denver). Then I turned on my heels and said to his sister, "C'mon, Let's go!" She was torn does she sit with her brother? or does she leave him alone?

She chose to come with me. The other half mile up to the lake. She was awed and amazed at it. She thought it was so beautiful .We took pictured and enjoyed a cookie from the backpack. Then we figured that we should not take too long at the top. That we should find our way to my son.

Just as we were beginning the descent back down the mountain. We came around a corner, to see my son ambling his was toward the top. My daughter was so excited to see him she nearly knocked him over. I was proud that he had the gumption to actually get going and not wait for the mountain lion (ok, so it was a bit of a farce as a mountain lion would not likely come on a VERY busy trail like that - but I knew it would scare him).

The funny part about it is that he said there was on sentence that had kept him going. He repeated it under his breath the whole way up. "I hate you mom." I told him. I don't love it. But whatever it takes to get it done!

I heard him tell his dad the story of how he climbed up the mountain - no problem when he got out of the car as I dropped him off to his dad's house after the weekend.

Yeah, I'm no gonna girl. I will not leave my gonnas out there undone. I believe that I am a DO IT girl. I hope that I can teach my kids to be DO IT kids too. That even if they have to mutter things under their breath that I don't love - that they don't leave things out there undone in the abyss of Gonna Land.