Cold Snap's Gifts

January's Arctic Blast is winging it's way through the air. I remember the times as a schoolgirl and teen when I came home from school and turned on PBS. With my jacket on I would bury myself under blankets, make toast and look forward to my Mom coming home from work. She would make a warm dinner, and just her being here made all the difference in my day.

Now I'm grown, and I face these particular days with my own little ones, who have all sorts of energy to keep me hopping. Like the gift of herself, I know that in spite of the cold temperatures, my children are happy when I'm happy. So I'm giving thanks when I'm facing fires that won't burn hot and a kitchen sink pipe that keeps freezing. :)

• Jeremy's arrival home and his busy bee ways that stoke the fire's coals and melts the ice
• beef stew and homemade bread
• hot cocoa and BIG marshmallows
• crafting with paper and scissors
  

• blankets forts

(Sophie in the background using the portacrib as part of the fort)

• friendship and the words that impart love and life
• Little House dvd's
• Ann Voskamp's new book
• siblings who play together
• blogging (and I'm many times embarrassed I carry on here so, but it's been a huge blessing to me)
• a good camera that the Lord provided the money for and Jeremy had the foresight to insist we get it. The things I slow down to see have really brought me joy.