Snowflags...

Oh the signs of winter are all around us! I wish I could anticipate the coming season with as much excitement as my children. Calla started praying for snow weeks ago. She always gets a twinkle in her eye when she asks about the first snow fall. The girls have asked me numerous times, "When is it gonna be winter?" "I can't say. It could be anytime. It's almost here. One morning we'll wake up and it will be snowing," I answer in my best feigned excitement voice. Winter... That first snowfall used to bring such glee. It is beautiful. But I can't help but think of the dreary brown slushy snow days that follow. The long winter months of shoveling my way to the van to start heating it up and scrape the windows. Trudging through the snow every morning with a gaggle of sleepyhead girls and a bundled up baby on my hip. Long, cold days with no desire to take the wee lasses out anywhere. Mucky parking lots. Red, chapped cheeks and hands on my thumb-sucking baby. Winter... So I'll try to take tips from the girlies. I'll get excited to see that first snow. I'll try to get excited about sledding and snowmen. And I'll be thankful for the wonder of snowflakes, or snowflags, as Amelia has taken to calling them. Because I obviously need an attitude adjustment about winter...