Honey, I'm home

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

So, just in case you were wondering, the theme of the New Year is alive and kickin’.  “Expect the Unexpected” rides again in all its’ sliding-down-a-waterfall-into-a-rainbow kind of glory. 

greetings from Narnia! Wish you were here!

Monday started off just as Garfield would have anticipated.  And yes, Bubba, I am wearing my Garfield tshirt as i write this.  Sean had a nightmare that included me wearing my Garfield tshirt to Mass.  For the record, I would never.  But i love this shirt.  Bubs and his nightmares are going to have to deal.    

The point is, my car wouldn’t start.  Come to think of it, it was also a very Shania Twainy start to Monday.  “My car won’t start, it’s falling apart, I was late for work and the boss got smart” (all true besides the boss part).  Thankfully, my siblings rule, China lent me her car, Bubba went to work on the battery.  I was only a teensy bit late for work, but it wasn’t until Ella and I arrived at her home that the old brain clicked and informed me that I left their house key on my key chain.  Ella and I turned lemons into lemonade--or in this case old potatoes into hot off the press french fries.  We watched tiny flakes float down as we sat in red bar stools listening to some classic jams.  I’m pretty sure i impressed her with my lyrical arrangement of “Dream weaver” and "Wild Thing".  We waited for her bro to get out of school, hit the highway as the flakes began to multiply, got my keys and newly batteried car (thank you, bubba!) and headed back.  Bradford was lamenting that the snow wasn’t sticking, but he obvs hasn’t gotten the memo on the New Year theme.  Guess what?  

It was magic.  The snow fairy flew over us with her sifter full of flakes and generously shook it over the earth to spread the joy.  

Everything was magically transformed into a powdersugared day dream. 

 It felt apropos for the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord, since Baptism washes us whiter than snow.  And that’s pretty crazy, because check it out:

Snow is preeeetty darn white already.  

And thank goodness snow is white, it works you know what i mean? Shout out to my fousins/sisters/fellow Father of the Bride enthusiasts. 

I did what any leather booted texas gal would do in the face of the opportunity to go walkin’ in a winter wonderland.  I plastic bagged it.  

Don’t worry, this ain’t my first rodeo. This method has been tested (freak one foot of snowday of Dallas circa 2009 ring any bells?) and gets the hobo seal of approval.  Two very enthusiastic thumbs up.  Fine holiday fun.  

I was beaming with the beauty.  I love love love snow when it is so fresh and pure and new.  Like we are after our Baptism.  Clean and new.  Free from that stain of original sin.  Whiter than snow.  God is so very Good.  

I love watching each perfect flake doing its’ wild dance of freedom before becoming one of the multitude.  I love that God created each and every snowflake and each one unique and beautiful.  And He does it for us.  For Love and nothing else.  He cannot do anything that is not for Love.  Each snowflake that makes that beautiful soft whisper when it lands--that whisper you can only hear if you are walking in the wilderness--or just on campus at 2 in the morning (when bag method was first tested)--that is the sound of Love.  It calls to me, and I must respond.  At least until the reynauds takes its’ toll.  But reynauds doesn’t stop me from window beauty soaking.  

And beholding it anew through the eyes of children?

It really exponentially multiplies the enjoyment.  I loved getting the kiddos suited up and hearing them scream and squeal with delight.  They had to be out there, too.  To taste it and hold it.

They needed to be in it.  To roll around it.

 It was like getting a little peak at what Christmas morning is for them.

Pure gift and joy unbridaled.  Like it should be for all of us.  It is so clear when I see children faced with something like the first snow of the year why “Jesus said, Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14).

It was love, baby.  Sweet, snowy, sparkly, unexpected Love.  

And it was one of those times that I realized how grateful I am for the job that I have.  There was no where better for me to work on a snow day.

i wandered and wondered and inhaled the love of it all as much as i wanted, my enjoyment was only enhanced by the munchkins, and i got to wear my sweet penguin coat the whole time.  Plus throw my socks into the dryer for a spell so that I could stave off any further reynauds spreading.  Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.  

Let’s just say, I was singing in the shower Monday night.  Loudly: “Honey, I’m home and I had a hard day, pour me a cold one and oh by the way rub my feet give me something to eat fix me up my favorite treat...”

And please do it sometime if you don’t normally.  It enhanced the happiness of a hot shower after a snowday big time, and i am pretty confident it will do the same on a regular day. If there are such things as regular days in this unexpected life we live in.  

Hey HEY heeeey, honey i’m home.  

It’s Wednesday, peeps.  You know what that means? One sweet day until TGIT.  This day is a gift from eternity.  Receive the Love that He wants to give you today.  Do it on purpose.  

don't forget:

Expect the Unexpected