Sunday, January 5, 2014

Winter Storm Memories

I think I will always remember the days leading up to this winter storm.  Grocery store sections completely empty, the talk of several days, even cancelling of things before the first drop of snow fell.  It's not just the snow, but the crazy, frigid temps that are suppose to come after the snow.

This whole time though, during all this winter storm buzz, I keep thinking about our first winter out in the country.

Feb. 2007


We had only lived here since October and traveled to China to get Kate in December.  


Feb. 2007

I remember Cameron or someone had mentioned covering those old windows with plastic and I remember using the words "no" and "ugly".  Obviously, I had No Idea!!  I think it was in February that there was a "blizzard".  It wasn't too bad as far as blizzards go, but it was bad enough that we couldn't leave for a couple of days.  Kate had her first (to us) illness (turned out to be a double ear infection) and we couldn't get her to the doctor, there was snow coming in one of those old windows onto the floor, I was freezing cold and we stayed up stairs as much as we could for a couple of days because it was warmer up there. I had not yet learned of wool socks and sweaters and was in some sort of denial I think. At some point we got to Wal-Mart and bought plastic for the insides of the windows!  Callie remembers getting donuts at some point and eating them upstairs.  Good memories for her, but I remember feeling trapped up there.


Notice the snow at Cameron's knees--Feb. 2007

I also remember putting down two or three quilts folded nice and thick on the floor for Kate to play on that winter and every single time she would crawl off!  She would even crawl off the blankets, onto the cold, hardwood floor and fall asleep.  And then I remembered how the picture of her bed in the orphanage was just a piece of plywood.  No mattress.  No folded up quilts.  I put her back on the blankets and she'd crawl right off.  Funny, but yet sad at the same time.

This year, we have new windows.  I'm thankful for them every day!  No more rattling when it's windy, no more snow coming into the house! No More Plastic!!  Yippee!


This year, I'm fussing at Kate to put socks on her feet if she is going to be downstairs!  And we are cuddled up under those quilts watching movies and drinking hot chocolate and hot tea.  And there will be knitting and laughing and I won't be so worried about "the baby" freezing.  We've realized now that she is almost never cold.  And she's no where near a baby anymore.

The year the snow was coming in the window I went to the bathroom and cried for 15 minutes.  I was more than a little sleep deprived and that pile of snow inside my house was more than I could take.  This year we'll enjoy the Blizzard of the year.  If we need to hang out upstairs a little bit I'll look back on these days and smile.

Right now though, I'm going out to play in the snow while it's a warm 33 degrees!


3 comments:

  1. Adorable pictures of the girls! Aren't memories grand?! Especially when they help us feel encouraged that our blessings just keep increasing.
    Have fun in the snow!

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  2. How fun to see the pictures of the girls from way back when. :-) I had forgotten about that snowstorm in Feb. 2007, but now I remember! We were living in the rental house at the time and Mick went down to work on our house and got his car stuck halfway. We watched him get out and walk the rest of the way down there. Couldn't believe he did it because the house had no heat at the time, but he was determined! I think I took a few pictures of him making the walk; I'll have to look those up.

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  3. Awww, the pics are so sweet!

    I don't know what it is about our southern China girls, Little Miss wouldn't wear socks, either! And never is cold! Although this winter she asked for warm boots to wear inside, like mama. I think it's more for looks, though;-)

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