The Snow of 2018

With daffodils in full bloom, windows open, and kids playing outside in t-shirts, I thought it about as good a time as any to remember the snow storm of 2018. The storm that sent four crippling inches of snow and closed the city for several days. The storm that gave my kids hours of snowy delight before melting and returning to a balmy 50 degrees. The storm that reminded me of the drippy chore of arranging snowy hats and mittens and boots on a beach towel by the back door. 

But alas. Spring is coming. Trees are showing buds. Days are brighter longer. And baseball season has started, which, in our home is the official announcement that spring is here.

(Pics of my boys in the snow? Forget it. They were long gone in the woods. Or down the street playing football. Or running like maniacs with the neighbors dogs.)

Overwhelmed - In a Good Way

These past couple of days have blown my mind. On Sunday I shared a brief timeline of how God provided abundantly in my life during a difficult time, and your response has overwhelmed me. 

Really and truly, it has.

Facebook posts, blog replies, emails, texts, calls - I can't keep up and so I've stopped trying. Instead, I've chosen to delight in the encouragement and love and prayers you've offered. 

I'm overwhelmed with the simple fact that you have taken time to care. We all run different directions with different demands on our time. Your effort to stop and care hasn't gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

I'm overwhelmed that I've been able to exchange words with family and friends from previous places I called home - Grand Rapids, Cedarville, and Chicago.

I'm overwhelmed that I've heard from precious friends and family serving as missionaries around the planet. For some reason, knowing you connected with me from Africa and Bolivia and Canada and Colombia and Asia makes me smile. 

I'm overwhelmed that many of you have shared verses from Scripture. There is no better balm to the soul, or hope for tomorrow, or encouragement for today.

I'm overwhelmed that many of you have detailed your experiences with miscarriage, still birth, and of losing an infant soon after birth. My heart hurts for the painful goodbye's you have been forced to say - and in the same beat my heart rejoices because I know that your little one is whole and complete and lacking nothing in the presence of Jesus.

I'm overwhelmed because I'm just me. Sarah plain and tall. What you see is what you get. And yet, God looks down and sees me as a blood-bought daughter made righteous in Him. He sees my frailty and my faults. He's aware of my worries and my pride. He knows my imperfections and he extends grace.

Why God would choose to love and redeem me so that I can participate in eternal worship before him is beyond my comprehension. Why God would choose to use my faults for his purposes and his glory is mind blowing. Why God would choose to give me every spiritual gift necessary to know his will, walk in his ways, and serve his people is something I'll never get over.

Ever.

And so I'm overwhelmed. 

God has given me so much. To the point that I can never, ever out give him. But, I can choose to trust him and obey him and serve him. By taking the temporary hurts of today I can glimpse the eternal hope of tomorrow because of what he has done to rescue me.

How can I be anything but overwhelmed?

Winter Break: The Memories

A week in Michigan with family gave ample time to make memories. Memories like...

... sleeping in because I knew my Mom would take care of getting breakfast going.

... enjoying my Mom's cooking. Best pork tenderloin. Ever.

... sipping hot coffee while watching huge, fluffy snowflakes pour down.

... seeing lots and lots of extended family.

... remembering why I'm so grateful for the family God gave me.

... sledding with my kids.

... throwing snow balls at my brothers and knowing they were "mature" enough now not to haul off and blast me back. 

... watching Annalyse snuggle with her Grandpa.

... hearing my Dad agree to a night walk in the snow with my boys, even though I knew he was tired from a day of work.

... seeing my boys laugh at my Mom's crazy antics. (Pfsh, she is sooo not a laid-back Grandma.)

... hearing my kids say Grandma and Grandpa and I love you in the same sentence. Lots and lots of times.

... roasting marshmallows in the fire and cracking peanuts by the fire.

... card games. More card games. And, even more card games.

... watching my boys stand in awe of all Grandpa's tools in his workshop.

... being kicked out of the living room by my boys because it was a "boys only time to play games with Grandpa."

... watching my boys bake with their Grandma and work in her kitchen. They stood on the same chair at the same counter and used the same measuring cups as I did as a kid.

... seeing my kids transition easily into Sunday school at my parents church and realizing that they are well on their way of discovering that church is always important. Even on vacation. And even when they don't know anyone around them.

... hearing my brothers laugh with my boys and watching them wrestle with them. It annoyed me growing up, but now I'm grateful for it!

... spying on my boys and my nephew playing games together. Little boy conversations are actually quite interesting.

... watching Annalyse carry around and play with the baby dolls I had as a little girl.

... sleeping in a comfortable bed because my parents insisted on using an air mattress while I was there. Sacrifice. Always, always the first to sacrifice for others.

... listening to the weather report each night and the forecast of more snow each day. 

... waking up to new snow each morning and hearing the shouts of glee from my boys when they looked out the window.

... marveling at how much fun my boys had playing in the snow. Being southern boys I thought for sure they'd wimp out in the cold, but they pleasantly surprised me with how daring they were and how long they stayed out to play!

... thanking Jesus for the blessing of homeschooling. The flexibility has afforded our family many unexpected blessings this past school year.

... laughing at Annalyse who wandered everywhere behind her Grandma. Almost like a little puppy and just wanting to be wherever Grandma was.

... listening to my boys pray and thank Jesus for the chance to be in Michigan and the chance to see family and the chance to have fun.

... being thankful for a husband who loves me, loves his family, and loves the chance to serve us with extravagance and humility. He gave much so that his kids and I could enjoy much. (Thanks Babe. You are one in ten million and I get to call you mine. There is no greater privilege!)

Winter Break: The Family

We love living in North Carolina and are beyond content with where God has placed us. But, that doesn't make it any easier to live so far from family and people we treasure. 

My parents have been generous with their time to make several trips to see us each year, but, for various reasons (namely three little people!) it's been hard for us to make it to Michigan more than once a year. We are thankful that the distance to extended family is driveable and doesn't require a flight. But, I'll be honest and say that 12 hours is a long and tiring haul.

Both sets of my grandparents are still well and in good health - but I know things can change quickly and that our visits together are gifts of time. I'm thankful my kids have enjoyed a handful of meals and games and laughter with their great-grandparents, though I know they won't fully appreciate the beauty of that time until they're older and relive those memories through pictures. What I do know, is that they are loved and prayed over by name by two sets of great-grandparents. And that's a treasure. A priceless treasure. 

I'm thankful that during our quick week in Michigan we were able to enjoy several visits with the people who made me possible and my kids possible! And, I'm thankful that my kids weren't shy and were willing to hand out hugs and read stories and teach games and endure kisses.

And, check out these handsome guys below. My "little" brothers. Because they pulled sleds, threw snow balls, and joked with my kids they now have my boys asking "if Uncle Joe and Uncle Jeremiah can come to our house someday and maybe even to our birthday parties?"

The third little guy in the pictures is my nephew - just two weeks younger than Grady Lee. It was a riot to watch the three boys instantly fall into step together and play and laugh like they're always together. Kids have a way with doing that, huh?

In addition to fun in the snow and dinner events with extended family, I enjoyed just being home. Well, being in my home away from home. Coffee by the fire while talking to my parents. Waking up in the morning and hearing my mom busy in the kitchen getting breakfast ready. Watching my dad patiently answer questions (lots of questions!) about snow and tools and fire and anything else that randomly crossed by boys' minds. 

Being home was a rest. Being with family was a gift.

Winter Break: The Snow

Last Friday we chose (yes, of our own volition) to say goodbye to sunny skies and 55 degree temperatures, and travel to gray skies and 25 degree temperatures. We set off for a week of fun with my parents and extended family in Michigan, and my boys were ecstatic to hear there was snow waiting for them - with the outlook of lots more on the way!

Our 12 hour drive was uneventful, which is what you want on a long road trip with kids, and as each hour passed, we noticed the temperature drop and the snow accumulate. When we reached the hills of West Virginia and saw a dusting of snow, Grady Lee yelled from the back of the van, "The blizzard! It's here! We're driving into the snow storm that is at Grandpa and Grandma's house!" I smiled and told him he hadn't seen anything yet.

Everyday involved a couple more inches of fresh snow and new snowy adventures of some sort: sledding, night walks, snow ball fights, snowmen, king of the mountain, you name it. A huge thank you to family and friends who loaned all the necessary snow gear for my kids. I'm certain our light fleece gloves and hats wouldn't have cut it.

For being southern wimps, I was pleasantly surprised with how "daring" my kids were. Snow in the face? Not a problem. Wiping out while sledding? Just a tactic to perfect for bragging rights. Wearing 15 pounds of extra clothes every time we left the house? No biggie. 

I admit it. The snow was beautiful and it was fun to enjoy a week of winter wonderland. It was even more fun to know I would soon say goodbye to the cold and the snow and the salt-covered cars and the planning an extra 10 minutes of time to get kids dressed before leaving the house routine.

My brothers had a couple of days off during the week and were able to enjoy sledding with us. My boys think Uncle Joe and Uncle Jeremiah are the coolest "because they know how to do awesome things in the snow" and they are "really strong and fast." And, my nephew was even able to join us for a few afternoons of fun. (A big thank you to to his laid-back mom who agreed to let him leave school early so he could maximize time with his cousins!)

We planned for a day of tubing on some excellent hills nearby, but that didn't come together as planned. It was only the adults who were bummed - the little people were more than happy to enjoy plastic sleds on small hills near home.

My mom planned a special day for us: hot tubbing in the snow! We enjoyed a hot tub for an hour and a half while big, fluffy snow flakes floated all around us. It was perfect. By the midpoint, by boys got brave enough to jump out of the water and lay in the snow around them. It only took Grandma showing them a time or two how much "fun" it was to slather snow all over your body, count to twenty (or however long you could bear it!), and then slide into the hot water. Annalyse would have nothing of the sort and was more than happy to simply float around the water without getting out.

We arrived home late this afternoon and the cold, snowy weather is far behind us. But, the special times with family, the fun memories, and the treasured moments together are still at the front of our minds. Annalyse has already asked when we can see Grandma and "Franpa" again, and Micah has asked if "we can live in Michigan for a month next winter instead of only one week." Hhhmmm. Maybe. I'll think about that one.

The Big One

The Big Winter Storm of 2011 has hit. The Blizzard of North Carolina has reared its ugly head. The treacherous roads have kept kids out of school for three days. In fact, when Grady Lee looked out the window Monday morning he exclaimed, "There is one hundred and one hundred more pieces of snow on our deck!"

Our family has simply sat back and enjoyed every minute of it! But, now that we're on day three of leave-the-house-and-drive-only-if-you-must conditions, I'm ready to get back in the swing of things. 

Confession: I left the house the past two days. And I didn't leave on foot - I drove. *Gasp!*

The snow and ice kept Grady working from home. If no one else from his banking team was going to be in the office, you can bet he sure wasn't going in either. Annalyse, for one, enjoyed having a bit more daddy-daughter time these past couple of days.

Although the boys were ready to don several layers and head out into the snow first thing Monday morning, I nixed that idea and said we needed to wait until it was a tad warmer later in the day. Truth be told, I had no desire to trudge out in the snow at 8:07 am. 

The boys stayed occupied coloring giant snowmen instead.

 

A while later they were asking, once again, to go outside and play in the snow. But, by this time Annalyse was down for her morning nap and I couldn't venture outside and leave her inside alone. I know, I know... you're asking why Grady couldn't keep an ear out for Annalyse since he was working from home. The short answer is that he had several calls during the day and was holed up in his office.

So, rather than listen to two little boys ask every six minutes if Annalyse was awake yet, I opted to bring the snow inside. The glee and the joy and the what-in-the-world-is-our-mom-doing look on my boys' faces was priceless! And, the hour they spent playing with the snow on the kitchen floor was priceless. (All four beds got clean sheets and three loads of laundry were folded during that hour!)

 

Later that day we ventured outside for a little bit. But, since the boys don't have boots and snow pants, they were ready to come in after a half hour.

They were quite productive in that half hour, however. They had the entire backyard mowed and in tip-top grooming condition. And to think most people wait until the Spring to manicure their lawns...

 

Ahhh... the nasty sight and dreadful smell of "outside." You know the smell.

It was at this moment that I looked up and said a silent prayer of thanksgiving for my Mom. Growing up in Michigan, snow was an everyday happening for five months of the year.She dealt with this lovely mess day in and day out and I don't remember her complaining about the snow we drug in and the constant stream of wet clothes we had.

Cold outside - but cozy inside! Nothing beats hot chocolate, actually, lukewarm chocolate, after playing in the snow.

Grady Lee lapped his tongue around his mug to be sure he "got all the chocolate pieces stuck to the sides." Naturally, kid, if you don't have hot chocolate the chocolate powder doesn't melt and dissolve like it's supposed to.

Micah guzzled his and promptly asked for more, "only this time I want wots and wots more marshmallows, okay?"

The boys decided to turn the fireplace on "cause it's berry, berry cold!" and get busy doing puzzles. A lot of puzzles. A whole lot of puzzles. Thank you Melissa & Doug for making this moment possible.

Our afternoon snack was some yummy-in-my-tummy Snow Cream. Fresh snow, evaporated milk, sugar, and vanilla... add a few sprinkles and some chocolate sauce and you have some Snow Cream Sundaes.

 

We went to bed last night listening to freezing rain pelt the windows and we knew it would be another cold, stay-at-home kind of day.

The boys made some "Cold Hands, Warm Heart" window thing-a-ma-jiggers. Grady Lee, not quite grasping the whole concept said, "My heart is already warm because Jesus is living in it and he doesn't like it cold."

 

Grady broke from some work in his office and took the boys out for a walk this afternoon. Even being the die-hard Northerner that I am, I have to say it was actually slippery and dangerous on the roads today. Everything was a fine sheet of ice. Grady said he lost track of how many times the boys slipped and fell just on our driveway.

 

When they came inside later on, Micah enthusiastically said that "it was weally fun to ice skate in the woads!"

 

And tonight, we cozied up for a movie before bed. Well, as cozy as you can get while watching Bob the Builder. The boys both wanted to wear polar bear jammies for the occasion and sit under "the warm, fuzzy blanket that's just like a polar bear's fur, except that our blanket is brown and polar bears have white fur."  

And, as I've heard, schools and several offices are still closed tomorrow. I just may have my boys use their sand shovels and help dig this city out from this Big Winter Storm!