March is for Hiking

This year 28 days of March happen to be in the 40 day Lenten season.  For March, this year, Hannah, Mandy and I are being intentional to hike 40 miles to participate in the Epilepsy 40 Mile Hiking Challenge in March.  Much like the most of the challenge will be during lent, the color of both Lent and Epilepsy Awareness is Purple.


I am not sure what March is going to give us for most of our hikes.  Today, the three of us went for a walk after dinner and it was 71 degrees.  It is supposed to be 19 degrees tomorrow.

After that walk, I went to the Facebook page of the Epilepsy Hike Challenge.  I clicked a button that I thought registered us for the challenge.

I have been struggling recently.  The support I felt around the time of Audrey's passing and celebration of life was uplifting to our family.  One of my worries is that Audrey's loved ones and friends have moved on.  Tonight, my Facebook notifications started buzzing when we were playing a board game (National Parks- one of our favorites).  
Hiking at Great Smoky Mountains NP

I looked down, and I guess that when I registered, my Facebook automatically posted the fundraiser to my profile.  My friends and family had already broken the fundraising goal that was set for me.  You guys don't know how much that means to me.  Friends I see often, and some that I haven't seen in years.  You showed me how much Audrey is still a part of your lives.

I should also acknowledge that we have received some really thoughtful signs and messages over the last few weeks that have also shown us how many friends and family still remember Audrey's greatness.
We are excited to go hiking in March.  We would love to go hiking with you if you would be able to join us.  If you do, I will probably be wearing this backpack.  This backpack has been in our family a little over 3 days before that picture in Great Smoky Mountains.  I had a Facebook marketplace deal for a backpack gone wrong, so a little more than a day before we departed for Tennessee, we made a road trip up to Elkhorn, WI and bought a nice used hiking backpack.


This backpack took us not only on hikes in the forest, but this was a "hike" at the Starbucks Roastery in Chicago.

Audrey was my hiking buddy.  She gave the best head massages and leaned over to kiss my forehead often.  She also would be known to give a wet willy on occasion.

She had some great stories.  We learned that shoes sometimes became projectiles.  Aunt Megan was kind enough to pick up Audrey's shoe at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, MI towards the end of a hike.
 
See you on the trail





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