"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Snow Blessings

Well, today has been another very manic day.  It's Tuesday, and my life has yet to slow down.  Unfortunately, Jonathan was unable to get the snowblower running last night, so the morning was rather hectic.  I had an early morning doctor appointment, so I had to wake Jonathan up at 6:00 a.m. to shovel all of that white stuff lingering in my way.  With his school being canceled, I would have preferred to have just been able to glide over the snow in my driveway, but unfortunately, my little Saturn wouldn't have anything to do with it. So....upsy daisy, Jonathan.

Jonathan was so great.  When I knocked on his door, actually dreading the announcement of snow, I suddenly realized that I needed to tell him the good news first.  I mean, who wouldn't want good news just prior to being told you needed to go outside, into the freezing cold, in the dark, and hand shovel a boat load of snow so I can get out of the garage and driveway?  Well, I immediately told him that classes had been canceled, and that elicited a "Yes!"  Then, I asked him if he would mind shovelling the driveway for me because I had to leave in about 30-40 minutes.  Just when I was fully expecting a long sigh and whine, he said, 'Sure."  He flew out of bed, out the front door and began shoveling.  Geesh!  Nothing like making me look bad.  But, boy, did he ever look good.

Whenever people complain about teenagers and the ills of society, I totally am reminded of how many times daily my son asks me, "Mom, is there anything I can do for you?" and I smile.  I remember the countless times my middle daughter completes her homework, without so much as even a prompting.  I treasure the times when my eldest daughter runs errands for me, and I smile.  Ahh....I so love parenting teenagers.  Life is so very good. 

When my children were younger, it seemed that life was always sweet, but oh so very physical.  I mean, my day planner probably read (as if I really would have had one with three toddlers around) awake before dawn, cook breakfast, deal with whining and diapers, sloppy faces and crafts, constant fatigue from the lack of sleep, laundry, laundry and more laundry, doctor appointments, etc.  Now, my kids generally eat breakfast on the run, if at all; they rarely whine and almost always clean up after themselves.  They clean the kitchen when I cook, and I clean it when they cook. And, Thank God, they actually cook.  They do their own laundry and can run to their own doctor appointments.  Ahhh....I love everything about that stuff.

However, the teenage years also bring about an entirely different set of circumstances.  Lack of sleep because they are out with their friends, and I want to ensure they make it home safely.  Not just having food in the house, but having enough food in the house to fill their seemingly bottomless stomachs.  And...homework.  Ah...the beloved homework.  I homeschooled each one of my little chicks until they entered high school, thus homework was virtually non-existent from kindergarten through eighth grade.  That can't be said now.  My middle daughter is totally consumed with her homework.  Thank God she is self motivated and an over achiever.  Yes, she is totally her mother's daughter.  My Freshman son just doesn't seem to have very much that he hasn't already completed in class. And, my college freshman, geesh!  That's all she ever does.

Cars, insurance, jobs and dating.  Whew!  Now, those are the fantastic and yet, so dreaded, four.  I can never wait for my children to turn sixteen years old.  That's when they are allowed to officially drive by themselves.  It is such a convenience for me to have them be able to transport themselves to and from school and sporting events.  Ah...but with cars, comes insurance rates.  And with insurance rates, comes jobs.  Again, thank God, my children are highly motivated, not only to complete their homework and chores, but to work outside of the home for actual money.  I love this!  Gone are the days of, "Mom, would you mind if I borrow some money?"  I never minded, but it's nice to know that they earn their own now.

And then....dating.  It's hard to believe that my youngest is ready to date (and shave). Yikes.  There's a Snowcoming dance this weekend, and when I asked him if he was planning on attending, he put his hand on his hip and asked, "Do I have a choice?" And then he smiled at his sister.  He knows that both of his sisters will virtually make him go.  Isn't that what sisters are for?  That, and taunting with blackmail for any thing and everything that they do that may embarrass them later, had it been recorded.

Yes, I truly love these years.  That vast amount of freezing cold white accumulating, yet again, on my driveway and front porch?  Now, that's a different story.

No comments:

Post a Comment