The Motherhood Glories of Winter

Winter has arrived and I am ecstatic! Not because I love snow and ice, bone chilling winds or plummeting down a mountain side on highly engineered planks and a prayer, none of those things thrill me. I prefer my winter from the fireplace side of the window. Michael often teases that when we retire we will be a couple for 6 months of glorious weather then meet again after the spring thaw. He will traverse the landscape on his snowmobile to ice fishing destinations no bombardier could access. I, will curl up with tea and my thoughts, penning stories for our grandchildren and memories of toasty July evenings. That gives me winters to look forward to years into the future (I profess to not be nearly as old as my children would have you believe)

The future is a very long way off and there are many winters between my dreams and my fireside. None the less the final arrival of winter does bring me great joy. For the next 4 or so months (winter really is late this year) I carry immense power for the chilly weeks ahead. I am the keeper of the warm things.

From now until May I can remind my children to "take their mittens" and they have mittens; Canada Red Mittens, expensive designer mittens, mittens with monsters on them, fancy ski gloves, twittens (special mittens that allow for texting and tweeting). I have baskets of magic stretchy mittens, mittens in the car, my pockets, stashed in backpacks and purses, I even have a bin of mismatched mittens for emergencies!

Then there are hats. Hats that match mittens, coats, snowsuits and nothing at all. Hats with built in scarves, ear flaps, designer labels and nostalgic significance.

I also have snowpants, boots, hoods, scarves, turtlenecks, longjohns, extra coats, wind pants, mufflers, dickies, fleece vests, flannel shirts, balaclavas and earmuffs. I have been a Canadian all my life after all and a mother for long enough to know...

There is reward in little victories of 'right'!

If you have everything possible to keep your family warm, at their disposal and even hidden on their person, you are very well within your right to laugh at each and every child who walks through the front door with their arms hunched up the sleeves of their wide open jacket, with ears the colour of cream soda and snot running down their nose. You can snicker as they attempt to remove their running shoes with the laces iced together utilizing fingers too cold to do the job.

You can laugh and you can ask quietly, sincerely and compassionately "Where are your mittens?" On the inside you can give yourself a big old pat on the back of satisfaction, you can laugh hysterically at their coolness and they have no rebuttal, no position...for the next 4 months, on at least one topic, you will be right...and they KNOW IT!

Gratitude today that Mother Nature is a Mother too. :)

Gratitude, hope and smiles should never be kept to yourself!
Michelle

Thursday...Your Turn @ the Table

So, how's your week so far? Mine started off a little off balance (to use gentle phrasing) but there has been a steady improvement since I first stumbled out of bed on Monday. Yes, I said Monday, I know that the week technically begins on Sunday but let's face it, that's not the arithmatic of the 'everyday' person. We are mostly concerned with counting the space between Sunday & Saturday. Those two days are like the 'free' spot on the BINGO card; you don't have to wait for them to be called, you just mark them and smile because you didn't have to work for it!

So with a steady upward trend in my forcast I have a lot to be grateful for...

• All 6 kids ate fish for dinner last night and LOVED IT!
• The sun is shinning beautifully today!
• I've consumed just the right amount of coffee and every ounce was hot at the time of enjoyment!
• I get to work with my transplanted friend tomorrow, oh how we miss you Shelley!
• The waining snowbank is wained right out of sight!
• Lula's making moves to secure her future in psychology.
• Eman's increasing his "Cool Big Kid" factor by 1 million!
• KJ doing the "I get my phone back" dance!
• Michael's making dinner reservations for our Anniversary (hint, hint, HINT...not too late to call.)

I could go on but I'd rather hear from you. What's your Gratitude? Share it with us by posting a comment and then hey, why not send this post to a friend and ask them to take a turn at the table.


Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.


Michelle

Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

The Optimist in Me Wanted to Believe it Was Over.

The pessimist in me left the shovel out and the procrastinator didn't change the snow tires yet.

I suppose I can be grateful for that while I mourn the 2 days of beautiful weather Mother Nature teased us with.