The kids had a snow day because of the snow. We ended up with about seven inches which really isn’t that much. The worst of it was yesterday afternoon and evening when we actually had to drive in it. Josh took me to work and then picked me up when it was over. I was lucky to get out almost 45 minutes early because the night nurse who works on REACH came in early at 7. She came over around 10:15 to get report so I could go.

The kids of course wanted to play outside sometime today. They were out for several hours, I am not even kidding. Just when I thought they’d been out long enough Laura’s parents dropped her of since they were running errands in town. So then Dad took them all out to the big hill. I stayed inside and cleaned the living room and made cookies. Before they left they came in for a water break and I brought them cups.

Just when I thought it’d be time for everyone to come home a new group arrived to sled. Before that a neighbor asked if her husband could bring her son over to sled. It’s the same neighbor who was in my son’s class. I said of course and they had all just left for the big hill. Later she sent me a video of all the kids sledding down in a chain and riding over a ramp one of the boys had set up. It was actually quite amusing.

It took a while to bake the cookies because I only have one sheet that only holds eight at time. Zorro was out for a while and then he was in with me and then eventually he was down for a nap. He was out in the snow yesterday and after that came in and took a four hour nap. I’m just amazed at his energy, really by all of them I am amazed. I was short of breath just walking around the house again and carrying around the vacuum.

Well they all ended up back here eventually. I went for a walk and met them coming back by the chapel. So then I turned around because I was only walking to find them. Right about the time everyone got home a new group came to sled. It was Maddy and Matt and his brother and her mom and siblings. The mom and I have been semi-planning a spring break trip to Florida. We need somewhere where we can sunbathe.

Well her kids wanted to play with my boys and I told them they’d just been out for four hours. But they begged and said they’d been warmed by tea and cookies so I sighed and said fine if they are not going to freeze. Elianna went back with Zorro and two of the boys. Ethan and Laura stayed here and cuddled in the living room and for a while I was sitting by them looking at photo albums of the birthday boy when he was a baby.

There was a picture in there of Ethan crying and me hugging him. One day he’d started crying thinking about how he would have to grow up and leave me. I was wearing a hat he made me that said World’s Greatest Mom. I remember thinking when it happened, “I need to take a picture of this”, so I did, I took a selfie of me and him. He said he thought I looked smug in the picture but what I was feeling was a mix of joy, empathy, and love.

I told Judah last night that I didn’t have any presents for him. His birthday is just close enough to Christmas that it’s hard for me to be on top of it. I needed a day to get that figured out so we planned to celebrate it tomorrow once we had time to get something together. Today we celebrated still a little by stopping by church after the Epiphany service. We’d ended up staying longer to help take down the Christmas decorations.

So then after that we went to the store. He and Dad went in and they came back with some ice cream. Mint Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. On the way home we listened to music and drove slower because of the roads. Some of them were cleared off and others still had drifts and snow. We came home and sat at the table with bowls and spoons and Dad served the ice cream. We ate supper a few hours earlier.

Laura went back with Matt and David because they live in Auburn. Laura’s mom invited me to go with them to a bridal expo/show thing in Springfield this coming weekend. There is also a women’s retreat in March we talked about going to. It’s my weekend to work but it would only be for Friday night. Dad says it’s time to start getting up like adults again tomorrow. That made me laugh. I’m just shaking my head at this silliness.