Snow Day Take 2

The snow is almost gone....

It did stick around long enough for us to enjoy one more day in it though. Justin was working yesterday so I was flying solo. I think it must have taken me the better part of an hour - no joke - to get everyone's snow gear on. I didn't want either of the kids, or myself, to overheat in the process so I dressed them in phases. Long underwear on Steele, then on me, then on Adia. Fleece pants on me, then on Steele, blanket sleeper on Adia. Gloves on Adia, snow pants on Steele, snow pants on me... you get the picture. And you moms know how it goes - just as I had finished getting Adia dressed and she was rolling around quite distressed on the floor -

- I was putting my hat on and turned around to see that Steele had taken off his glove. The one I had just spent 15 minutes (ok, maybe 2) trying to get on him!! Admittedly, I was starting to lose my patience just a bit - but soon enough, we were out the door. I put the kids on the sled and began walking the 16 or so blocks downtown.

Our first stop? The dutch bakery! They have the best sandwiches and scones. Dutch scones, I have been informed, are much better than English scones. All I know is that I LOVE the raspberry white chocolate ones washed down with a cup of coffee. Justin and Steele always get a "num num" cookie (m&m) when they go out for walks so of course we had to pick up one of those as well. As is typical for my small town, I visited with a delightful older couple and Adia got her share of smiles and waves and "oh! those cheeks!"


We also picked up enough goodies to deliver to some friends of ours who just had their 3rd baby. When we got to their house no one was home so we dropped the treats in their mail box and were on our way again.

Now, here's a little known fact about my town: It has more churches per capita than any other city in the United States. One very special benefit of this fact is that there is a church in town with the most beautiful church bells you've ever heard. I'm not sure how often they ring but as I was walking, with my sweet children (quiet, red-nosed and bright-eyed by this time),


the snow crunching softly beneath my boots - it turned 12 o'clock and the bells rang out the most lovely hymn. It brought tears to my eyes as I listened and thanked God for moments like these. So much of life is filled with haste and hardship - I wanted to soak in every ounce of beauty that I could. I literally tried to focus on every detail of that moment and asked the Lord to let me experience it completely. They pass so quickly. All too often we pass by them too quickly - but it was refreshment to me. I wish you all could have been there.




* A note from the author: ok. I realized that I don't know where I ever heard that fact. So, being the manual-reading-clothes-washing-instruction-following person that I am I did a bit of research. And guess what? We were beat out by Wheaton, Illinois for most churches per capita. I guess if it had to be anywhere I'm glad it was Wheaton. I have a soft spot in my heart for Wheaton. Wheaton College, after all, did educate such greats as Elisabeth Elliot and the like.

Also, I recounted - it's only 12 blocks down to the bakery. Darn it. Those extra 4 blocks mighta' burned off the scone.