White Sunday

I am awakened this morning by the sound of excited squeals of joy - "Mom! It's snowing!" With all the strength and excitement I can muster, I throw the covers off and come running to see. I pick up Reese on the way downstairs, and walk to our big front window. Eyes as big as the snowflakes themselves, the kids are in a moments trance. Immediately Reese wants down. She runs for the door. Upon reaching it, she starts signing - and saying - "Go! Go! Ow-sigh!"

Now begins the task of bundling up the little people.

Every year as we dress our kids to stay warm outside in the cold, scenes from 'A Christmas Story' play over and over in my mind, and inevitably a smile appears.

The kids walk outside, into this New Wonderland to explore. Mom with camera in hand, and Dad scrambling to get ready inside because he was dressing Reese. We watch our children enjoy this new experience.

Reese was mesmerized. She stood there and took it all in. The cold air on her cheeks, the snow falling from the sky, the hushed quiet over the neighborhood - perhaps because no one in their right mind would be up this early and outside on a snowy Sunday morning.

My favorite part was when she bent down and brushed her hands through the snow. Her reaction was one of shock. Perhaps because it was so cold, and also because it stuck to her baby fingers and wouldn't be shaken free.

Greg and Ben stayed outside and built a snowman, while the girls came in to prepare a delicious breakfast of kielbasa, cinnamon twists, eggs, strawberries & grapes. Of course, it didn't go as smoothly as that. Truly, it was Mom rushing to get everything done with Reese hanging on pants crying.

Leslie came over and joined us for a loud yummy breakfast. I guess it was me, Leslie, Ben & Reese eating (Ben mostly talking) and Greg out looking for the neighbors lost dog that had been roaming our yard that they now could not find.