Snow days...

This morning my girls are back in school for the first time this week. As I sit here in the quiet of my warm home, I am reflecting on a few things I noticed the last couple of days that they have been home. It's interesting that until this year, Rebecca generally despised snow days because she knew that meant they would go to school longer into the summer. Not so this time-she has finally arrived and doesn't have to be concerned about making up days because she is a Senior! She was thrilled to have the 2 extra days off from the boring Senior year that she's having. Poor girl, she has Senioritis BAD...school is boring/uninteresting and she's ready for a change (she says). The thing I know (that she has yet to live long enough to realize) is that college can be boring/uninteresting at times-not to mention "adulthood" when she finishes college. I mean really, how uninteresting is the same M-F routine of getting up, going to work, making a living, paying bills, managing a household, etc...for the rest of your life-or at least until you retire or can draw social security (which I'm sure won't exist by the time she is aged). I enjoyed my H.S. years...oh don't misunderstand, the lessons I learned then were not always pleasant and I made my fair share of stupid mistakes, but overall-I had fun. I also enjoyed my college years-probably because it was during that time that I became engaged and got married to the love of my life:)  I have enjoyed my years as a boring adult-same basic routine year in/out.  No matter where I've lived, what stage of life I've been in...I always make a way to enjoy the simple things and create my own fun with friends/family.  Granted, some days it's easier than others.  So, I've tried to encourage Rebecca to change her perspective and just try to find moments of joy and create her own fun during these final few months of childhood until graduation. To appreciate where she is right now! Doing nothing, being bored...that will change soon enough for her, at least the opportunity to do nothing will! Once she graduates-her life will change forever. She will be working every summer to save money for the coming college year unless of course she wants to be in debt until she's in her mid 30's-because as we all know there is always someone out there willing to lend money to college students and allow them to pay it back at an affordable (ha) monthly payment for the first 10 years she's out of college!

Then there's Michaela. My lovely second born who has this philosophy about snow days that I find quite intriquing. It doesn't really matter that these days will be tagged to the end of the school year-after all, it's too hot here in Arkansas by the time the school year ends to enjoy yourself anyway.  So, the days off might as well come during the winter where she can be nice and snug in the house doing the things she loves anyway-reading, listening to music, watching TV, playing games, etc... All of those things just seem more natural to do when it's winter anyway, right?  Having more summer off just means having to listen to classmates gripe and complain about it being so HOT when they return to school...so less summer and more snow days certainly is the answer to some of that complaining!lol That's my Michaela-btw, she's a "thinker" like me, it's just that if we were competing-she would definitely win-because this girl thinks WAY outside the box! I admire that in her:)

Another observation I make is all of the status you read on fb on snow days. Most seem to start out excited...day one is usually high intensity, everyone feels blessed by God to have the snow-most are out building snowmen, throwing snowballs, sledding, four wheeling, having hot cocoa, just having snow fun. Then by day 2, the excitement is gone-the snow is now a curse from the devil, most are more than ready to send their kids back off to school/spouses off to work so that they will quit arguing/fighting/making a mess/eating all of the food in the house/etc...  Schizophrenia-look up the definition. Isn't that what all of these people have on snow days? How can a person just flip a switch and change their behavior/thought patterns so drastically day to day? Personally the thing I love about snow days is that it is cold-because I can't STAND the heat of summer! Of course I do love to watch a snow fall and the snow covering the ground sure does brighten up a dreary winter day outside-reminds me of God's presence even in winter. Other than that, I'm a little like Michaela. Snow days mean more time to read, listen to music, "think", just chill because I can't get out and go anywhere to do anything else! Every day is a blessing-snow, sun, rain, whatever it may bring-each day is a gift from God and full of moments to be savored. Now it's time to go off and savor another normal winter day with kids back in school, spouse back to work, and boring routine-indeed I am blessed!