As teachers, getting told we have a Snow Day is equally as exciting for us as it was when we were kids. So getting THREE this past week was well, like a little bit of Heaven to our hearts. We like our jobs just fine and I really do love teaching- but there is nothing like the time at home spent with our entire family. My husband and I are partial to our teaching careers and the fact that we have the same schedule, we have long breaks, we share the same kind of student work load having the same Master degrees and well, we get snow days together too! When our kids are in school (don't even go there) I imagine that perhaps I will appreciate them even more.
This past week, my tired Mom blinders came off as I watched as my kids witness for the first time this year, a real snow. Wednesday morning, our three-year old Pierson was awake by 6:30a.m. and his reasoning was, "I want to see the snow!" I tried to get him to sleep a little longer but finally I realized, he has so much anticipation, genuine heart-felt excitement over the fact that our ground may be covered in even a dusting of snow. I gave him the green light to run downstairs and I swear it was like Christmas morning all over again. He screamed with delight! He oohed and aahhed and carried a step-stool to our kitchen window. He cracked up laughing when I let our cat outside, only to have him sprint immediately back in. When his little sister woke up, he couldn't get the words out fast enough that she would see snow covering our streets. Together they were so ecstatic, so sweet. Their little faces at the living room window, watching as our streets became more and more covered. I began to realize through their two and three year old eyes, this was the first time. They've seen snow before, heck Reese cried her eyes out when we bundled up and attempted to play in one of our 'big' snowfalls last year, but they don't really remember that. To them this was so new, so magical and it reminded me to slow down, that I too should breathe it all in. Pierson went sledding with his Daddy and Reese and I took a nice long walk. I watched as she trudged through the snow, I'm sure it felt miles high to her still growing legs. She stopped and just stood often, looking at the ground around her, watching our dogs roll and eat the snowy goodness. I saw her smile and she caught my eye; "Thank you, Jesus," I started. "...for snow," she sighed.
The most magical day was when the snow began at eight o'clock in the morning and it didn't STOP all day and most of the night long. It came down so big and fast. We decided to go to the quaint little bakery down the street with Asa's sister and her family and the roads were already a slushy, snowy mess. When we got there, the kids stood on the sidewalk outside the shop and just kept squealing with delight every time snow landed on their jackets. "Pierson, LOOK! A snowflake!" Reese exclaimed. "Reesie Cup, LOOK! There's some on your HAT!" Not only was my Michigan heart exploding with happiness over the beauty that surrounded me, but my Mama heart was too. Through their eyes, the streets looked like Narnia. They had entered another world and they were so happy to have each other in it.
Most of our days were spent indoors, building houses with Legos and for me, baking. We of course watched Frozen, a lot, and it was necessary that we attempt our very own Olaf too. I told Asa there is something about this time of year, the snow and the cold, the warm food and lots of cuddling; that makes me fall in love with him even more. We were married in December and a huge blizzard actually happened on our wedding day. For me, the snow reminds me of the sweet love that we have and I spent my snow days not only falling more in love with my children, but with him. He is the man behind all of us, behind this. He gets on the floor with the kids, is the first to turn on dance music when we need to move and he was the one who made Olaf happen. The rest of these images are their attempt at making this season's first snowman and every ounce of it is pretty dang adorable. Reese licking the snow, Pierson making snowballs to eat like "ice cream" as he called it. Our dogs in complete Heaven (more so Elsa, I swear she lives to roll and lie down in snow) and me laughing and cheering them all on. I am so thankful for these last 5 days. The time off makes re-entering the real world so hard, but really and truly, I love watching life through our children's eyes!
