A Lesson in Perspective

This week, Indianapolis was hit with about a foot of snow! No complaints from my boys, since they got some snow-days off from school. The little guys really appreciated extra time with merciless teasing from their big brother. On the first day of the snow, ES took MS out to play in the snow and I stayed inside with YS, who was battling the dregs of post-croup sinus infection.

Today, however, it was a beautiful day and I decided to take the two little guys out in the snow to play. MS threw a fit because I forced him to change from his Spiderman suit (with the big gap up his back) into sweats. When will he learn, "function before fashion," I ask?

He finally got with the program and I headed to retrieve snow-pants and boots for YS from the front hall closet. As soon as I opened the door, YS noticed an old pair of Thomas the Tank Engine sandals (patiently waiting, amidst cobwebs and spiders - since we hang our frequently used coats and hats in the hallway closer to the garage). He threw a fit to clarify his age (terrible twos) and to show that he hasn't learned the F B4F lesson, either. To clarify my authority, I persisted in dressing him in snow-pants and boots and coat and gloves and hat (ah, the dreaded hat, which YS loathes x10).

By the time we were suited up, I wondered why the mere process of getting ready to go out and have fun can sometimes drain the fun right out of you? On my way out the door, I grabbed my camera, hoping to snag a few good shots of our "fun."

As soon as we got out the door, their spirits brightened. MS took off for the back yard and YS trudged a few steps before stopping to say, "Stuck! Carry you, Mom!" Yeah, I'd love it if he'd carry me, but I knew he meant for me to carry him.

For a while, we checked out animal tracks in the snow. This is quite fascinating, though I'm not very good at determining which are squirrel tracks and which are rabbit tracks, etc.




When we got down closer to the creek, MS started throwing snow-balls. I'm taller and he's not a very good aim, so no problems!



Here is a cute little snowman which MS made. (YS had to wear his lighter jeans coat because the zipper on his warmer coat broke - why does that always happen with boy's jackets???) I decided to make a larger snowman and began rolling the bottom part. At first, MS climbed on top and was sitting on the large mound. This must have given him an idea, because moments later he scurried up with a stick and poked it into the back, declaring it a tail.

I followed his lead and decided to attempt to turn our bottom of a snowman, into a horse shape. The whole time I was concentrating on making spindly front legs bending out in front of the snow-horse mass, MS was throwing snowballs at YS (directly at his face, most of the time).

I must have grown too absorbed in what I was doing. I had begun to craft the neck and head of the horse. Suddenly, I was brought back to reality, when MS dropped a huge clump of snow on my head and down the back of my coat! By this time, I could no longer ignore YS's petitions for me to hold him. I scooped him up, thinking ES could help MS finish the horse, when he returned from a friend's house.

After a good half hour, shaping the torso and front legs of a horse, MS declared that he didn't want a horse, but rather, a spider. Instead of loping off the top and adding more legs, however, he proceeded to kick off the two legs I had worked so hard on.

Without saying a word, I began to carry YS up the hill to head back into the house. Of course, MS didn't want me to leave without him. Next, he began begging me to carry him as well (give me a break!). He had to settle for holding my hand. As we were trudging through the snow to head back inside, I began to think about how much work this little window of outdoor fun had required. The snow was no longer a foot deep, but still ... trudging through eight inches of snow while carrying a toddler and dragging another ... it was hard work.

I think I'll remember this, next time I'm complaining about how difficult it is to get the boys into their coats so we can hop in the van and head to the store. I think we need to start the third book in the Little House series. We'll drink some nice warm honey milk and sit together on the couch. under a blanket. eating the Oreos. we bought at the store!
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Update: My good friend and past co-worker, Mrs. Brown, lost her son, Michael, yesterday afternoon (brain tumor). So, this is a further lesson in perspective. What a joy to have been able to head outside in the brilliant sunshine and make memories with two of my boys. Every day is a blessing. So glad we were able to fully live this day (despite temper tantrums, broken zippers, hat defiance, heavy toddlers, frustrated efforts and a pile of wet laundry)!