Snow Days 2014

What a wild weather week we have had!!  I have to be honest, when we were told we were going to have some dusting come our way, I was secretly- well, not really secretly, wishing that we would some snow and get to have an extra day at home with my little guy by the fire!  If it's going to be so cold, I'd rather be at home all cozy!  Little did I, or anyone for that matter, know that my wish would come true! The morning started out like any other, and we were all buzzing wondering if we'd get the call to leave school early.  When the snow began to fall we took our class outside to play in it for a little while, we couldn't handle the cold too long!  We then began to notice this dusting wasn't stopping!  The snow kept falling!  It really was pretty!

that was the view out of my classroom window when it just began.  About 10:00 we got word that we would be closing at 12 and parents had been notified.  Parents began coming in, and were telling us awful stories of how slippery the roads were and of cars in ditches.  This made me very nervous!

here's the view out of the other window in my classroom.  You can't see it clear from this, but that's McFarland boulevard straight ahead, and it was already backing up.

Parents were having issues getting to the school by 12.  As was anyone trying to get anywhere!  Traffic was backed up due to high volume, driving cautiously slow, and several accidents.  About 12:45 our directors at school said that I could leave because I had John William and he was getting quite restless.  I was also alone, in that Brett was out of town.  Yep.  Happens every time there is 'inclement' weather.  April 27 tornado he was in Montgomery, last years snow day he was in Huntsville.  He had a scheduled meeting in Jackson MS and he had left early Tuesday morning.  What should have been a little over 2 hour drive for him turned into a little over 7 hours- and this was BEFORE everything got bad.  Even if Brett could've left his meeting early to come home to us, he wouldn't have been able to get home.  

While I was hesitant on leaving the school while there were still 4 children from my class still there, our directors ensured me they had spoken with their parents and they would definitely make it to them, and that they were waiting on rides from their husbands themselves.  So, John William and I left and started our adventure home!  

I was thankful he fell asleep before we even made it out of the parking lot!

but I was even more thankful I had gotten gas that morning before work.  I NEVER get gas on the way to work.  Especially when it's 18 degrees outside.  I even had issues with TWO pumps I went to and had to go to a third.  I was dangerously low on gas that morning, and while on a normal day I would've made it to a station after work-  on this day, in traffic, there is no way I would've made it home.  God led me to get gas that morning, I'm sure of it.  Being stranded in the ice/snow with an almost 2 year old, alone, with no gas was nothing I wanted to deal with.

after about an hour and half, we made it home.  This normally an 8 minute commute.  I have heard way worse stories of people in their cars much longer.  So I'll take my hour and a half!  I did slide a little, and felt my brakes lock up, but we had no major issues, and were happy to be home to stay!

this is the view from our bedroom porch… winter wonderland!

 I bundled John William up to see what he thought of the snow….

and he didn't just love it!  When we were getting in the car at school the snow was still falling, and he didn't even like that.  He doesn't love to be messy.  Finger painting, shaving cream, even some foods- he doesn't want on his hands (or feet!)  When we poured the concrete near our driveway I tried to get his handprints in it.. let me just tell you we both face planted in the we sidewalk.  He also doesn't like different textures under his feet.  Sandy beaches were not his thing last summer, as well as being barefoot in the grass.  I have to say he gets some of these traits from me as well as Brett.  He's the perfect combination of both of our weird quirks!!

so instead of freezing outside in the wet uncomfortable snow, we sat inside and watched this.  I'm thankful to Andy for helping me get some firewood cut and fire started!

I had not been to the grocery store… so dino nuggets and puffs it was for dinner!  He didn't mind!

Since Brett was gone he helped me keep our fire going!

While I didn't have groceries to make any real meals, I did find all the ingredients I needed to make my Grandmother's sour cream pound cake.  These snow days are going to make me gain 10 lbs!!

And when we began getting cabin fever, we just walked next door to the Boykins.  John William fit right in with the other kids watching the Heat basketball game.  Thankful to them for helping me while stuck home alone!

While our snow days weren't as adventurous as most, and I am thankful for that, it was still a little uneasy knowing my husband was away for 2 nights.  I've heard so much negative talk about us southerners not knowing how to handle a little snow.  Blame being placed on meteorologists and school boards.  But more than that I saw many stories of neighbors helping neighbors, strangers helping strangers, first responders going above and beyond the call of duty, and road crews working overtime to return our cities to it's normal self.  God has a way of putting us all in place at times and reminding us He is in control, and while in this crazy life we must love our neighbors.  

Brett comes home today, and John William and I are both excited about that.  My wish now… That Punxsutawney Phil does NOT see his shadow!