The Really, Really, Real Adventures of Mommyhood: I don't think we're in Texas anymore...

Just in case you live under a rock and haven't seen the millions of newscasts or Facebook updates, our part of Texas got hit with a pretty major snow & ice storm last week. For three days we were iced in and on the fourth, we awoke to six inches of snow in our backyard! For those four days, Olivia and I camped out at Casa Milligan and did not even attempt any outdoor excursions. Schools and businesses were closed and the people in this area had a Wizard of Oz moment as we all thought, "I don't think we're in Texas anymore..."

I have lived in this area most of my life and NEVER have Texas schools and businesses closed their doors for four days straight! I can only remember three times in my entire school life that school was cancelled because of the weather.

As a kid, I used to pray for a winter storm. I remember hearing the newscast in the evening and if there was so much as a mention of snow or ice, my sisters and I would be jittery with excitement as we went to bed, wondering if we would wake to find that school had been cancelled. I loved school when I was younger but there was something about having a little bonus day off that seemed so magical.

The three times I remember it happening, we woke to find Texas snow on the ground. For those of you not from these parts, Texas snow is just slushy mess. Basically, school had been cancelled because the streets were covered in ice that morning. We would jump up and down and squeal with excitement--a SNOW DAY!!! We would dress ourselves like Eskimos, even though by that time the temperature was probably already above freezing, and we'd head out into the icy sludge armed with an empty laundry basket. Then, we'd take turns sitting in the basket while pushing each other around our icy driveway. By noon, our Texas snow would be melted and we would know that the next day we would be back to the bus stop and back to school. It didn't matter though. We had just had a glorious SNOW DAY!!!

As an adult, snow days around here are more irksome than they are exciting. If I'm going to get a bonus day off of work, I want to be out shopping or lunching with friends--not cooped up inside the house with nothing but a pantry full of healthy snacks!

On Monday evening, as the weather men and women began their prediction of sleet and snow the next day, I was skeptical. Schools started announcing they were closing on Tuesday in anticipation of our winter storm. When I woke early Tuesday morning, I could hear the sleet hitting our windows and I got out of bed to take a peek outside. I could feel that small tingle of excitement from my childhood days. Would we actually have a snow day? I opened the door and could see the ice accumulated on the back porch and I knew before I checked the school closings that we would not be going anywhere that day.

As it turns out, we wouldn't be going anywhere for the next four days! I was a little nervous when I realized that I would be at home all week. With a baby. By myself. Yikes. What were we going to do all day if we weren't able to go out on playdates? What would we do without our routine? It had been a while since Oli and I had spent days together at home alone.

I can't really explain why I was so nervous about it. I guess I had just gotten used to the great routine we have had since I've been back at work. When I was at home with her, things were definitely not routine and it's been obvious over the past month that we've both been doing great with a more consistent routine.

But, it turns out, I didn't have to be nervous at all! We had a GREAT time together! Sure, I got a little stir crazy towards the end of the week, but I really enjoyed the extra time I got to spend with my sweet girl.

For four days, we slept in, once together in our bed until 10:30! We caught up on our tv shows, we played on the floor with toys, played in the bouncy chair, didn't get out of our pj's, and just enjoyed spending time together. I loved getting that extra time with The Boss Lady. I loved getting to really spend time with her and seeing how much she has changed in the past few months. Sometimes in the day-to-day hustle & bustle that is our life, I feel like I miss some of the things that are so quickly changing about her.

Do you ever feel like God sort of put you in a situation to force you to slow down and enjoy the small things about life that make it so wonderful? That's how I feel about those snow days. I know that God didn't plan them just for me and Olivia but I am so thankful that He gave me the wisdom to know when to take advantage of a great opportunity. And I did. I didn't worry about jumping up every day and running around being busy. I took my time each day and we did whatever we felt like doing. There were multiple times that Oli and I just sat and giggled at each other. All of the shopping and lunch dates in the world don't have anything on the joy I got from spending a little extra time with Olivia Anne.

My only regret was that Mike wasn't able to be there to share all of that wonderful time with us. Mike's office was surprisingly still open so he wasn't able to be here with us during the day. On Friday, he did get to come home early and we took Sweet Pea out to play in her very first snow. We even built her a little baby snowman!

I'm happy I had this time, snowed in, not able to go anywhere. I'm happy I had this time when I had no other choice than to slow down for a few days. I got to be reminded that it's the little things in this life that mean so very much. We didn't have four days on a tropical island or some luxurious destination. We just had four days here, together, spending time with each other and it was one of the best times of my life. I got to be reminded of that childhood excitement that snow days used to bring. I can just imagine Olivia in the future, jumping up one school day and rushing to the back door to see if she is going to get an actual snow day.

I think I might be a little snowed out this winter and I'm already looking forward to the spring, but, I'll spend each winter from here on with that old childhood hope that I'll get a snow day too. And not just to have an extra day off work but because it will be one more day I get to slow down and spend a little extra time with my daughter. I'll go to bed the night before with a tingle of excitement and I'll jump up with Oli to see if we get to spend the day at home in our pj's, giggling, and playing together. Snow days just might become my most favorite days of all.