Walking through the woods today. It is 50 degrees, with the sun shining very brightly and a nice crisp feel to the air. Ella takes off up the hill; a less traveled one that is covered with pine needles. We trek off after her, since this is one of my favorite paths but I don't take it often because it is pretty wild, and not many other dogs on it for Ella to play with. Sam stops now and then to shake the trees, investigate a stick, toss a mushroom. She laughs with abandon at Ella whenever Ella scrapes the ground with her hind legs. Ella is showing great disdain for some scent, must be a fox or something. As I hold Sam's hand, I think about what it has taken to get me here. The walks I took with her in me, the walks I took after being on bed rest for months. I never imagined being able to walk under this canopy with her little hand in mine, her wide-open mind soaking up the world. I turn to her and say, I really like doing this with you, sweetie, you are fun! But my voice sounds a little false, too much emotion in it. Some moments are very precious. She keeps yelling, Ella, Come, and now Ella does because she knows Sam will hand her a treat. Sam loves to give Ella treats.