Reunited

Yes, winter and I are back "on again".  How could I resist 5ish inches of white fluffy snow on a 27 degree day.  And throw in the magic of school being called off....done.  I am back with winter.  Although I almost did kill the magic of the snowday with some of my expectations.  I woke up, became very excited about having an entire day with all the kids being homebound and tons of fresh snow to play in and I started to envision all of the possibilities.  Reading books, playing outside for a good long while, making homemade granola bars, watching movies.  As we started to do these things, my kids...being kids....were having fun but also doing the normal bit of fighting with one another or whining and complaining about the snow getting into their boot, etc.  So, unlike my vision and expectation of the day in which we all just were smiling and laughing and all was always well and happy....I actually had to start parenting.  Which is my job right.  The most important job I could have.  But instead of seeing opportunities to train my children I became very frustrated and started snapping at the kids.  I was frustrated that they were whining when we were outside.  I tried bribery,  and  I unfortunately even stooped as low as the "you guys are being ungrateful when I just dug you guys a cool tunnel" guilt trip.  Oh - mom fail!

So after a few minutes of my "mommy tantrum" I became very convicted of being just as sinful and ungrateful and complaining as I was claiming my children to be and after some apologies on their parts and my part I lowered my "expected vision" for the day.  And that is when the snow day began to ACTUALLY be magical.  Children started playing nicely in the tunnel.  We did end up making homemade (and somewhat healthy) granola bars and right now the children are picnicing quietly in front of a movie while I am taking this break to reflect on the morning. 

Expectations can just kill a wonderful opportunity to become closer with others.  My kids will never live up to my expectation of perfection and I will be disappointed in a wonderful day and morning when it is not perfect.  So....I pray I remember this morning and remember to begin my day having high hopes for the day but not perfection....because it will never be good enough if I am expecting perfection and I will miss wonderfully imperfect moments. 

So....my children playing in the "really cool tunnel" (according to me at least) that I made them. 

And....the other drift in our yard.  Yes...that is the mailbox they are standing on.  Yes....the neighbors give me looks because I let our children jump off a mailbox.  All I can think is....I wish I could have jumped off a mailbox when I was a kid.  No one has been injured yet so jumping off the mailbox will continue....

It was a wonderfully imperfect morning.  And it taught this mom something about having high hopes but low expectations.....