It’s a Beautiful Day.
Our first snow of the year hit today – big, gorgeous flakes that fell lazily to the ground, followed by a blizzard of said flakes that bombarded the ground, followed by hard, freezing rain that turned the white blanket to squishy mush.
The kids were elated. They spent all day working hard – pulling out Christmas things and decorating around the house, practicing puppeteering for the church performance, even doing the graphic art work on my holiday letter.
Then, just before the sun went down, they asked to go outside. Stores were closing early, the roads were so slick as to be terrifying, and stepping into the snow sounded like stepping into mud. But they said they’d get their own snowsuits (not an easy task) and boots – which they did. With only minimal help (Dylan yelling from outside because he forgot his gloves and locked himself out of the house) – they went outside to play.
I watched them from inside. They never just play. First, they had an elaborate game requiring old tennis balls. Then they got out the sleds and – in one inch of mush – created something like an obstacle course which somehow involved sledding across our perfectly flat yard and skidding down into the woods (ouch). Then they proceeded to the backyard where they designed and developed roads – or rides, I’m not sure which – so that our yard now looks like we just finished hosting a monster truck rally.
Nearly two hours later, I called them in for a warm bath before dinner. They were dripping and pink, but when I said, “How was it?” they both responded simultaneously – “IT WAS AWESOME!”
Good, clean, wholesome fun. An education beyond school. A life well-lived.
As long as I can remember that their success will stem from more than school – and it really will – we can all be happy.
Today was a beautiful day.