The Unexpected Slow

I'm sitting here eating breakfast this morning, enjoying the view of all of the beautiful snow on the pine trees across the road. I can hear my little boy, my early riser, in the room next to me already enjoying the day at home.

Tim asked me late last night what I had planned for today and I looked at him with a big blank expression and said, "Nothing."

Oh how different that would have been if not for this gorgeous snow. When the weather man brought in this winter system late Tuesday night, he might not have known it but he also handed me a clean slate for the next day or two, void of responsibilities outside the home. And with that, a bonus of unexpected little blessings from a few people that I'm very fond of.

Like this beautiful hilarious little picture Quinley drew and handed to me with the declaration that I am to, "Never throw anything away EVER that I draw again!" 

And  sledding down a hill with the kids and their friends and hearing the sound of their giggles over and over and over.

And baking cookies AND brownies and drinking hot cocoa in the middle of the day because why not overload on chocolate on a day off?!

And playing Uno and Old Maid and sharing pots of chili and meatballs with dear friends who live close by and could get to our house safely.

I realize that we couldn't do this every day and expect to function well in the real world. But I've also realized over the last thirty six hours that without pausing to live like this every once in a while, it's easy to lose perspective about the little things in life that matter most.

With every snowflake that falls, also falls the blessing of the reality of today and really living. 

I hear there's more snow in the forecast and instead of stressing about how many assessments I can get finished or how many loads of laundry I can get done today-I'm going to enjoy my family and the slowness that this time brings.

A few friends of mine were discussing back and forth on a group text late last night about plans for our bible study today and what that would look like if school was cancelled. One of them said, "I love the pause this time brings."

Well said dear friend. I couldn't agree more. 

Now I'm off to put on my snow boots and bundle up again for the next stint in the beloved snow.