The Silver Lining is Wider Than the Cloud

I'm keeping my Lenten gratitude journal, which is far more of a gift than a discipline. In it, I try to articulate some of the gifts of the season, day by day. This past week, the gifts have been hard-fought, but precious!

On Wednesday, Jon turned in his preliminary exams. All praises!! But hardly did he have time to turn them in before we were hit with another challenge: the struts and shocks in the car gave out. The Nissan hobbled in with what we thought was a minor problem, and it was revealed to us that, on the one hand, it was extremely broken. But on the other hand, had we hit one more bump, the front of the car might have collapsed entirely, totaling the car and possibly putting us in danger in the road. Thank God that Blacksburg is so small and we were able to get to the repair shop in time!

The first combined challenge/blessing of this event, of course, was alternate transportation. We don't drive the car far, but I do drive it every day to get Adele to daycare. I have known, of course, that there was a bus that could take me to her daycare should we need it, and that knowledge has always given me great peace of mind: if the car should break, life could go on. Well, I got to put that to the test this week. Since Wednesday afternoon, morning and evening, BT has been our transport:

And Adele LOVES it. Neither of us loves the journey to the Hethwood bus stop, about half a mile away. Only today, with all the ice and snow on the road, did I feel like the stroller was a viable option to get there. I've just been lugging her. But once ON the bus? She's in heaven. 

And you know what? It's been hard, and I've been using a bit of leave to come to work a bit late. But I feel great. I get exercise, and outdoor time, and I feel connected to my community in a way I don't feel when I'm just a human automobile amongst others of the kind. Multiple entries in my gratitude journals include the phrase, "attitude shift." Because I'm grateful for this reality, described by G. K. Chesterton: 

"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered." 

So it is.

Just ask her!

Saturday, now that was a trial. I couldn't bear the kids missing out on anything just because we are car-less. But getting them out the door on time to walk 1.5 miles in the snow with two kids, to arrive on time to a 9:30 dance class? Bless my own heart. It didn't happen.

Fortunately, I realized that in time to change my attitude. When it was 9:30 and I wasn't yet halfway there, and I had one single stroller and two kids refusing to walk and an impassable sidewalk, I released the 9:30 class. I gave them a call, got permission for Adele to join Miles' older-kid class, and then basically told the kids all motion was acceptable as long as it was forward.

I didn't become beatific; I totally lost my temper with them later on, in another snowbank. But because we didn't give up, these moments got to happen (it was parent weekend! of course):

They had a blast! As always. 

Now, you know one adventure isn't enough for me. Not on a Saturday. I have a horror of being stuck at home; someday I may have to address that. But this wasn't that day. Onward! There was a Winterfest party at Virginia Tech!

There was a Wendy's on the way, thank God, because all I'm going to say about the North Main Street portion of the journey is, I'm glad there's grace, and that spring is coming.

The kids got plastic grills (I'm not kidding; the package said it was a grill) which they got to decorate with rhinestone stickers. It was killer.

There was a bus to Squires and it was Winterfest 2015!


Free kid party? Are you kidding me? I'm there, car or no car.

There was LOUD party music and a carnival atmosphere and we all grinned our way through the afternoon.

We got free photo dog tags, you guys. All our grinning faces on this tiny dog tag. What a hoot.

These guys, man. The dj was playing all their favorites and you would've thought Squires was their personal disco.

Finally, teary from their tired tantrums, I got them on a bus.

It was all worth it. 

Sunday, well, we weren't about to skip church. Miles saddled up his hobby horse ("It's ok the car is broken; I have a horse!") and we just left really early! This time, we had Papa power with us. 

We're calling Lent 2015 "Abundant Lent" at church. That's the focus: abundance in a time of scarcity. I'm feeling it! Many are the gifts.

So, the second burden of the broken car, of course, was financial. This was the second major break in the few months it's been out of warrantee. It was a blow! But we've had help, and the gift we're receiving now is a renewed awareness and attention to our budget. We've long felt like we needed to be more careful with all those little purchases we make, often without thinking, and now we have an impetus. We have a goal. And somehow, in this time when we don't know where we're going or what we're going to be doing next year, in this time when the future we imagine seems farther away than ever, this awareness has made us feel less powerless. We will try to be faithful with the small things, because that is our business, right now. 

Monday morning, I was so done with the bus! We were doing well, Adele and me. I was sweating; it's thawing this time, as I'm carrying all the things to the daycare. But when I left the daycare and realized I'd left me keys on that last bus, my keys that have my passport which allow me to take the bus, it was a low point.

While waiting longer for that same bus to come back, so I could find out if she had my keys and would let me on (she had, and she did!!), I snapped this shot of my view.

Right in front of me. It was like a spoken invitation to rest, and be quiet, while it was the only thing I could do. 

We got the car back today, after we did our final bus to day-care. But you know? When the weather gets to be spring-like and the snowbanks are off the sidewalk, the Hethwood bus might see more of us. I got that attached to the walking. 

It never rains but that it pours

It doesn't seem that long ago that I was longing for any measurable amount of snow at all. I literally tweeted at @PolarVortex  (which is a wonderfully saucy account if you're twitter-minded) and asked for a visit. 

Well, we got visited. 

This is actually a view after the second storm. There was one which gave us about nine inches on Monday night, the 16th, and another on Saturday which brought an additional 5-6. We are rolling in snow, folks! Because since then, just one day has been substantially above freezing; it was just long enough to give a nice ice covering to all surfaces. Wheee!

I don't mean to gloss over the inconveniences, which have been significant. Jon's preliminary exams, you recall, were due today. So one full week of snow-days that we had last week, and the additional one this past Monday, were really not what we needed. I took a fair amount of leave time to give Jon time to work, since even the usually hardy daycare was closed until Thursday, last week. And for Sunday's presentation at church, we required a team of neighbors' help and a small miracle to dislodge the car and get on the road on time. So, we adults not been able to embrace fully this sudden upsurge in Winter.

But the kids, and the kid in me, have welcomed it with open arms.

There has been sledding, snow angels, rolling and frolicking, and after the thaw on Sunday the snow was finally primed for the building of a snowman.

That afternoon was a triumph, to me, because I bundled them up and sent them out by themselves, like a wholesome, old-fashioned, free range parent. I am finally able to trust that Adele will refrain from wandering off, and I could watch them work from the back window of our apartment: 

For about an hour they rolled snow, strained to put one snowball atop the other, conversed, argued, failed, and began again. It was delightful to watch. It's funny. Someone watching them play, apparently unsupervised, might not have thought that was their parents' finest moment. But I was convinced that this was the best possible arrangement for all of us. They had to struggle on their own, work together, problem solve, and best of all? I got to have a clean kitchen and a nearly-ready dinner when they came in. 

Have I mentioned that I'm ready to have a back yard of my very own?

Anyway, after they'd been outside almost an hour, Adele came wandering in to ask for help. I obliged and we got that head atop the body and the banana mouth (their idea) wedged into the head and voila!

The finished product. Satisfied, they came inside from their third day of outdoor play. I think they're done with the snow now. But it's not done with us! We expect 3-5 inches tonight.

Where was this in December???

We did make it to church on Sunday. The Guatemala delegates gave our slideshow presentation to a much smaller than usual assembly at adult forum. We hope to whet everyone's appetite for a Guatemala themed luncheon after Easter! But I still put Adele in the outfit I brought her from Ciudad Guatemala:

I couldn't help myself. 

Jon turns in his exam today! So the 3-5 inches we expect tonight won't be met with quite the dread of last week. Still... Lent and February are a tough combination! Come, spring! and come, Easter!

Sweet as Sugar Candy

We are having a sweet time of it, mid-February in Blacksburg.

Both kids had Valentine's Day parties to enjoy at school. I took a late morning to put Miles on the bus for his after a 2 hour delay.

Here Miles is before getting on the bus in the 5 degree weather (YES he wore a coat):

I really just told him, "I'm taking your picture for Valentine's Day. Smile!" & that's what he did. 

As usual, we were in the dance studio bright and early on Saturday morning, Valentine's Day notwithstanding.

Here, Adele puts naughty Optimus Prime in time-out. He's apparently a big hitter:

Saturday was a cleaning day, since our condo was being shown by the owners to potential buyers and it has been looking rather lived-in. A good afternoon for clay, crafts, and play-doh.

"Mummy, look, I made the United States!"

Jon and I got our date in on Thursday. The graduate school has a kids' night out at the Women's Center on Thursday nights- free babysitting! So we nipped over to Our Daily Bread for an absolutely delectable dessert and good conversation. Thank you, Women's Center volunteers!

Sunday, the choristers (children & youth choir) sang the offertory, and several junior members got their ribbons, including Miles:

He behaved beautifully, and sang even better. 

On Sunday night, as we were leaving to visit a friend's house for some King Cake, the snow began. My heart has been sorely wanting it.

To my immense satisfaction, the storm gave us about 9 inches. 

Virginia Tech closed at noon yesterday, so after Adele was up from her nap, out we went into it!

Adele did a lot of sculpting and rolling in it. She also bravely went down a hill with me three times! The third time by request!

Miles did it all, including a really ecstatic snow angel:

My favorite sled type: oblong, and plastic. 

After she got a bit too much snow in her face, Adele opted to go butt-sledding. 

9 inches of snow and everything looks like frosting. We'd gotten just enough sun so that it was soft and fluffy, but still plenty cold, so no melty-freezy. Perfect.

As packing snow, it wasn't awesome; this is the best snow-being I could manage.

Miles was the sledding king today. He probably did 5-6 runs by himself, which is a first. 

I was just so happy. 

I've been pondering snow as I watch my NYS and New England friends get pummeled with blizzard after blizzard. I don't really need constant storms, or 6 feet of snow on the ground at any given point. I would absolutely see snow as an affliction, at this point, were I living in Boston this year. But down in VA, deprivation has raised my enthusiasm. I wish we could take some of it off your hands, northern readers, because this would definitely get old on a daily basis. 

They remind me of A Snowy Day, here. 

But for a special occasion? Yes please!!

Keep Jon in your prayers; he's still toiling on his prelims. A week from tomorrow, those will be due, and maybe in the next months, next year will begin to come into sharper focus for us...

On Weekends, we..

For those interested in our weekend, Blacksburg doings...

More and more, when I do yoga, the kids insist on doing it with me. Today, Miles started his day doing yoga without me, for kind of a while.

Last weekend gave me a special opportunity to share with the Children's Chapel kids my memories of my Guatemala trip, and the current reality of our church's relationship with their church, a church which, like ours, contains children. Though they'll never get to visit the congregation in Guatemala, and though we'll never be bringing children up for a South-to-North sister parish delegation, I wanted the kids to be able to share in the relationship. So, I proposed, to them and to the sister parish staff, a correspondence of letters between children. 

We pose for an introductory photo. Aren't these kids gorgeous?

 We wrote them a letter and stamped it with colorful handprints:

  I made a display with a couple of maps, some pictures, and the colorful cross I purchased for Chapel at the Ciudad Guatemala market.

 That package went off yesterday, with our hopes for a new correspondence and a new dimension to children's chapel and sister parish, both.

At home, we continue to enjoy tolerate a warm, brown winter.

Not a flake since December, and even then, it was only a coating. I'm expiring.

But, the kids are coping:

Miles' "Sculpture"

The kids continue to enjoy dance lessons, and I am enjoying the prizes they've put in the prize machine more than previously:

Baddest in the West

Saturday the 7th was the annual Blacksburg New School fundraiser Chocolate Festival. This makes it our third year at this event! I did myself a favor this year and left my camera in my purse. There was enough to handle, what with carnival games, book walks and balloon animals to obtain, pop, and replace. The kids got some good prizes; I was proud of both of them for being thoughtful about it. Miles brought home a chapter book and a puppet astronaut, Adele, a copy of "Are You My Mother?" & a new puzzle.

She had to hug Hokie Bird goodbye before she'd leave. 

Before 1, Adele and I went scurrying off to her daycare buddy's third birthday party. For several reasons, I just can't say no to an invitation to a kid's birthday party.

First, they lined up in the banquet room like board members at a working lunch.

The party horns were a big hit. 

Birthday girl Noel celebrates!

 After a stately pizza and cake meal, the kids were herded into the room containing a large inflatable castle!!!

 So much glee ensued:

 As I discussed with the birthday girl's dad, children remind us how to enjoy simple things, when we've forgotten how. I needed that afternoon of smiles, sick as I was with that parasitic cold.

Adele's gal pal Mazie was among the guests!

 Even Adele's beloved Kam was there:

Ever-phototengic, Kam. Remember his November birthday at Chuck-E-Cheese, readers? 

 ...if not, that's ok.

Adele anxiously watches to see if the birthday girl will like her offering: a doctor's kit. 

She did!!

I had a pretty bad cold this weekend, but I got some relief from presiding over storytime in the form of Jon, and, often, Miles:

He's quite good at reading, now, which is an endless source of pride and delight to me. Adele aspires to it, too. 

Jon is in the midst of his preliminary exams, which, at least for him, is a kind of slow-motion existence that even February doesn't usually reach. Keep him in your thoughts, please, dear readers.  We'll keep working to light up February. If we can have but one solid snowstorm, that will do much!