Baby, It's Cold Outside

They've been waiting anxiously for snow.  Real snow.  It started very late Saturday night while they were sleeping and after church and some grocery shopping they hardly made time for lunch before they were out in it. 

That was before the arctic blast.

The snow continued all day and into the night yesterday and the temperature dropped and dropped.  And dropped.

This morning after a 2 AM wake up call from my daughter who's not ready to be done with her pull-ups yet, we got a 5 AM wake up call (automated) letting us know that schools were closed for the day.

There is a learning curve for Texans in Michigan apparently.  Late last night (between 8 and 9 PM while it was still snowing) many of our neighbors were out using their snow blowers.  We had one when we lived here before, but sold it before we moved so, yeah, that sucks.

We've been putting that re-purchase off and this morning before his flight to L.A. (the one that finally ended up leaving at 8 PM--yes, he spent an entire day at the airport), our daddy considered going to get one, but our driveway and sidewalks were solid ice by that time.  Suddenly our neighbors seemed a lot less crazy.  He shoveled anyway.  Hard worker that he is.  The kids did not understand why they couldn't join daddy "playing in the snow".  "The sun is shining, Mommy!" (insert whiny voices here).

They really were good today.  Spent the entire day stuck inside with each other and they managed to be really good.

Monday afternoons are swim lesson days for the girls.  They really wanted to go so we started bundling up about an hour before the lessons and we went.  Daddy had mentioned the roads weren't too clear this morning, but that was this morning.  I fully expected them to be clear by late afternoon.  Not. So. Much.

The whole drive there I was thinking, "Swim lessons?  Really?  This is why I'm out?"

Then we got there.  The girls swam.  I had my weekly conversation with a mom I've met who's getting ready to become an expat in Germany.  All was well.

As we drove home, I thought I'd just quickly run to post office and grab stamps so I can mail the Christmas cards that I've been working on since last week...Yeah, there's no "run in and grab" with three kids dressed like Eskimos.

As soon I started my purchase at the automated teller, my little one urgently grabbed my arm and said, "MOMMY!  I HAVE TO GO POTTY!" 
Of course she did.  Everyone knows there are no public restrooms at the post office because...yeah, I don't know why.
So she did what she needed to do.  There was no way we would have ever made it home in time.  Her deed was loudly announced to the room by her older sister and then my oldest child said, "Ewwww!" and jumped away from her and the puddle in which she stood.  I'm not entirely sure the puddle was from her or from every one's wet, drippy boots.  She did have on a lot of absorbent layers.  I managed to avoid all eye contact and finish up with the automated teller before I realized it was going to take entirely too long and moved on to the line for talking to an actual person.  Not so scary after facing the Belgian post office, where I learned the artful skill of avoiding eye contact.

We managed to finish up without any further catastrophes.  Sarah handled her situation with a lot of grace.

Then the parking lot.  I watched a truck spin its wheels trying to get up the tiny hill at the exit and started having flashbacks to an afternoon in Belgium stuck in a parking lot. (Shiver).  Since I was rescued by my husband that afternoon in Belgium, I at least knew what I needed to do and I was much less terrified since I drive an automatic now.

The rest of the drive home was just as slippery and as much as that 5 AM wake-up call stunk, I'd be relieved to have another in the morning seeing as we still have a windchill of -10.  Maybe a late start?

Tomorrow our little sister is supposed to debut in her preschool Christmas show and I was planning to pick up both of the big kids (one early and one for lunch) to be her cheering section...Guess we'll just wait and see about that.

Looking forward to highs in the 20s next weekend so these little people can get back out and enjoy the snow rather just staring at it through the windows.  My stress on the drive home this evening didn't exactly help with their snow enthusiasm.  Hannah said, "Oh no, this is not the fun kind of snow at all". 
I agree.