The First Snowfall

Brrrrr! It's cold here in the 'burgh. Today the high was 30 and that was this morning early. The temperature dropped quickly and the snow began blowing. At the first sign of a flake the girls were ready to don their snow pants and boots and head out the door. They complained that it wasn't falling fast enough and asked why I couldn't do anything about it. I know someday I will long for the days when they thought I had power over everything!

Eventually there was enough snow on the ground for them to go out and play...but boy was it COLD. At that time I think it was in the low 20's with a blustery wind. (I know that now the windchill factor is 0 degrees or less) Well they lasted out back for 45 minutes with me gazing at them from the warmth of my den. With Jack napping I didn't feel comfortable being outside so the girls agreed to play on the deck...and for the most part they stayed right there except for sneaking down the steps to make snow angels...who could blame them for that?!

They came in all rosy cheeked and frozen and we went through the whole routine of getting undressed...I clearly remember the painful process of getting all done and then undone from snow attire as a child! Then I made them mugs of hot (well really just warm) chocolate with big scoops of marshmallow fluff (another of my childhood faves). We sat at the kitchen table talking about how there is supposed to be more snow tonight and maybe tomorrow we can build a snow fort or snowman. It was pure bliss for all of us.

My girls look at the snow and they see a brand new playground! A new covering for the same old ground that they see everyday...nature's extreme makeover. It is exciting and exhilarating and they have an energy that warms my heart. I love their outlook. I look at snow as an inconvenience...a hassle. It's going to cause traffic (that I don't have to drive in), it means we have to shovel (and Alex does that anyway), and well, it's just unpredictable.

Unpredictable is not my favorite. See I like to know what is coming and to be ready for it. When I was a kid, life was predictable. If it snowed, we were going to get all geared up and head out with the whole neighborhood to go sled riding. Then when we couldn't feel our hands, feet and faces anymore we would whine all the way home and my mother would make us hot chocolate with marshmallow fluff. It always happened that way.

Somehow in my journey I have lost the ability to embrace change and transition. I dread these things now and find myself anxious and grumpy when faced with a hurdle involving significant change. But maybe if I could learn to look at change the way my daughters look at snow, I could embrace it again. It would cease to be an inconvenience and begin to be an adventure...the possibility of an extreme makeover for my life.