It wasn't a brain freeze on this frigid day. But staying in my jammies til noon with my kids all around. I need snow days to be a stay-at-home mom. That was my child-hood dream and I enjoyed it for 8 years. I miss it like crazy.
The nights of bad forcasts, I lurk on the weather websites and pester the school closing list. I'm totally torn between needing routine of school and work, and staying home and not doing a blessed thing.
Our last snow day had a tantrum-meltdown-defiant hour. Much more than a moment. In the middle of it, I swore off future snow days. Go to school and take your attitude with you. And I'll take mine with me. We endured the uncomfortable aftermath, sat in it, soaked in it, loved in it. I stayed in it with this child til it passed. By evening, we played Settlers of Catan, hard core. And my matra continued, don't gain up on each other, put the robber on less likely numbers to get rolled, let's be fun. When I tucked the previously defiant child in for bed, I received a hug with unexpected warmth. A friend with similar family dynamics and I prayed for each other through out the day and God answered. It felt like a victory. I had courage to keep going.
Two nights later, I'm stalking the same websites. Glad I have no control of the God of all weather and storms, even wind chills. This morning, another snow day. Was it going to be a replay of our last day?
Nope.
Thank Goodness.
I read the story of Mary learning she would be the mother of Jesus, Elizabeth pregnant with John. Each rejoicing, wondering how this could be. And I realized that Snow Days are God's gift to me. A free day with no plans, no agendas, no expectations. A day to be a stay at home mom again. If serious parenting needs to happen, I have time! A scare commodity. And energy, which runs low in the evenings. And creativity, after being in the word.
A snow day is a day to let my heart turn and remain towards my kids for the whole day.
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