snow days and those days

When it snows in the valley life stops...and let's be honest, we love it.

I've come to imagine that the "they" who make the laws for no salt on the roads and school closures are really just grown up kids like me, who labor in prayer for those teensy white flakes to band together and throw their blanket of white across our usually soggy fields, possibly even pile up high enough to scrape together a snow man, and maybe, just maybe, fall long enough to make us feel like we hit the "snow jackpot", wipe the cobwebs off the sleds, and fly outside like a child leaving that pile of dishes behind.

Our snowed in weekend was blissful...well, as as long as one can look away from the frustrations of dirty floors, piles of wet snow clothes, a few minor meltdowns from playing in the cold for hours or getting pelted in the eye with a snowball by an all too guilty brother.

Snow days are a lot of work really...I mean there's hot chocolate to procure, cookies to bake, fires to stoke, mittens to be found, more laundry, more...crazy.

We mom's are forcing that smile..because it's a snow day right? We are supposed to be happy, right!?

I find myself giving that book (I've imagined myself reading lazily by the fire as the snowflakes fall gently outside the frosty window) dirty looks for just sitting there and teasing me for the fact that I really won't get past a chapter without hearing the call of the wild...

"MOMMY!"

Snow days have always reminded me of beach days...all the work to get to the sand and then the cleaning up from being in the sand, the overly tired cries, and the parents asking themselves,

"wasn't this supposed to be fun!?"

On snow days we like to imagine ourselves jumping right out of the cover of an LL Bean magazine...

the children are not cold, their snowman is perfect, their sled flies far and fast while the beautiful parents watch unafraid of brain injuries or broken arms.

Marketing has made us keenly aware of the imperfect.

Shame on them.

All of this real is what makes us pray for snow and embrace the sand...(everywhere).

The imperfectly perfect memories that make us, us. 

So, when Zibby decided that we should sing the national anthem before Sunday morning devotions at home (yes, even church was closed), you take that "imperfect" as treasure. Aaron and I exchange looks and don't dare correct the six year old with face uplifted singing her heart out as she would any hymn...

"for the la-and of the FREEEE! and the ho-ome of the-e brave!"

Sounds perfectly in tune to us.

Smiles & Sledding

It really is.

Ben and Roy the Snowman

At least someone got to read by the fire.

Han Solo & Princess Leia warming up after returning from Hoth.