these long winter days

Oh, these days have been long.  This winter has been especially tempermental.  I am one of those people who needs to feel sunshine in my bones.  It makes me happy.  I am so thankful for the occassional warm day that we have been having every few weeks.  I can't imagine how difficult it must be to live up north during the long winter months.  I guess maybe that is why God made me a southern girl!

I have been trying to make the best of it.  We have spent our days building big towers of blocks and painting sunny skies on paper.  We are going to try homemade pretzels tomorrow.  I think we have all gained 10 pounds due to our cold weather baking.  And we are just trying to buckle down and enjoy the moments where we are forced to slow down.  I think God is teaching me lessons on the importance of making your moments happy regardless of the circumstances.  He is teaching me lessons on slowing down and enjoying just being with my little ones, without needing playdates and parks and libraries to keep us occupied.  He is teaching me self sacrifice and patience; because oh how I crave nothing more than a good book and warm bed on days like this; but how my babies crave playdough and puzzle parties on days like this; and how my house seems to crave order and cleanliness after being played in, tromped in and abused from days like this.

Winter's days are numbered.  And although I long for the sun; I choose to embrace the warmth that has come from these sweet lesson learned this season.