an outing gone right

This weekend wasn't as productive as I might have hoped and I didn't get nearly enough sleep.  Adam has a stuffy nose and slept even worse than normal.  However, Saturday morning offered the perfect opportunity for sledding.  We hadn't been at all this winter.  It was quite the ordeal to get everyone bundled and when we stepped outside I had second thoughts about the outing...it was COLD and the boys were arguing in the van.  I could just picture cranky, freezing boys whining as they trudged up the hill, wimpering after a few times down, crying as we loaded them back in the car, then dealing with all of the sopping clothing when we got home.  Many outings that have started out better have ended up fairly disasterously.  But, like always, we just hoped for the best and carried on.

Good choice.

The hour that followed proved to be one of those miracles that happen from time to time.  The hill was perfect, just enough snow for a good ride, but not enough to make climbing back up too difficult for little legs. 

The snow was also perfect packing snow and we eventually abandoned our sleds in favor of making a snowman.  As the boys were creating trails in the snow, gradually building impressive boulders, I held little Adam.  He was bundled in a snow suit and wrapped in a blanket, sleeping peacefully through it all.  It was a perfect moment.  They don't happen often.  Great moments happen almost daily, if I'm really trying to see them.  But perfect moments, those are special.  A beautiful day (not too cold, as I worried it would be), a park all to ourselves, four giddy little boys, one darling sleeping baby, and an adorable husband who was loving it at least as much as I was.  I love my life.  I just can't help myself sometimes. 

It felt like a gift, that hour in the snow. Much of the time we're doing all we can to just keep everything going alright, to minimize the fighting, whining, crying. To be happy, or at least stay neutral. And then out of the blue, when we all really needed it, came this effortless hour of pure joy and satisfaction.


The cheap gloves protecting little fingers weren't doing a very good job, and as we stepped back to admire our lovely snowman, Austin was ready to be done.  The other boys needed to be convinced that returning home was a good idea but the promise of hot chocolate did the trick and our outing came to a peaceful end.

...and then BYU beat SDSU (jumping to #3!) and all was right in the world.