Last weekend we visited the snow.
[Which means we pile the kids in the car, set the GPS, drive one hour north and then sit in stopped traffic on the highway with the rest of Southern California with their ill-prepared rain boots and tennis shoes doubling for all-weather winter footwear. One hour turns into three]
At one point we almost turned around. Oh wait, we did turn around because someone in my car thought that “it might be better to try to find a way around the traffic.” The secret road turned out to be closed because of mudslides from the week before. We’d already sunk two hours in the trip so got back in the line headed up the mountain.
Toward the snow.
Toward the thousands of crazy people headed toward the ski resorts.
We just wanted a sled run and a clear place to make a few snow angels.
There was whining. And a hundred when-will-we-be-theres. There were sibling arguments and marital arguments. There was one [loving] I-Told-You-So. There was Scrabble on the iPhones. The cars were moving so slow and were so close together that we could ALL hear the music and cursing of the guys in the truck in front of us. [Thankyouverymuch for teaching my children some new words]
Three and a half hours from door to illegal parking spot.
When we finally got there the kids took off toward the hills, and un-used to snow, promptly found themselves hip deep in the stuff. In an I-can’t-put-my-arms-down moment, my three-year-old lost her boot in the quicksandy snow and my eight-year-old plunged her right foot into a knee deep puddle of unfrozen water.
Right off the bat.
No harm. We found the hidden boot, we sloshed in the wet one and we sledded. We built a no-faced, no-armed snow man (or woman?) and we sledded some more. We got snow in our hair, we dodged the uncontrolled descents of unpracticed adults on kid-sized snow discs and we even got a little sunburned.
We forgot the three and a half hours in the car: the whole morning WASTED for a measly 80 minutes of snow play.
Or not.
Wasted?
Thirst and a need for a toilet sent us back to the car. Oh, and wet gloves, a freezing eight-year-old foot and snow down the back of my jeans (after wedging myself inadvertently in a snowy birm after a trip down the hill).
All of that time, all of that gas, all of the whining. Was it a waste?
Never. Because we had an adventure.
My kids will remember the white brilliance of the late morning on the snowy hill and not the long car ride. They won’t even remember us turning around to find a “better way” probably. They’ll remember the cold snow on their tongues, holding my hand as we walked up the hill, and laughing as we watched Hope tumble off the disc, her long, tangled hair a halo against the white.
They will remember that we skipped church [gasp] to take a family day, and that it’s okay to do that once in awhile.
We paid three and a half hours to receive a little over an hour of family memories. Forever memories. Adventure memories. Memories that can’t be purchased in the same way ever again. And the memories are ours alone and will become part of the culture of our tiny family.
No one can take that from us.
A simple story and a simple truth.
Adventure’s worth is incalculable.
What will be your adventure today?
Lovely
Simple. Yet, your story proves how much effort and time it can take to make “family time”. Thanks for a great reminder of how very “worth” it all of that is…for them and for us! You are precious, sweet Sarah.
I must thank that Cindy Beall for introducing us!
Funny you should ask, I’m online to get a cookie recipe to make with my kids this morning. Always an adventure: cooking with kids. It should take me an hour just to work with them to measure and stir all the ingredients. And it probably won’t turn out exactly right… but it will be worth it
I loved your snow day story too! Southern California is a different world from northeastern Pennsylvania!
oh yes it is.
and good luck with the cookies. wish we could share them in the blogosphere! =)
Today, we will not have an adventure. We will rest and recover from our recent adventures. But Sunday, we skipped church (gasp) with another family (double gasp), to drive two and a half hours so that family could experience ice skating for the first time. The oldest child in that family is 16, the youngest 6. None of them had ever had the joy of ice skating. Two and a half hours each way was worth the smiles on their faces. Recently, we have also hiked up a water fall, went to the Cabbage Patch Doll Museum, and done each others make-up while blindfolded. There are more adventures scheduled for later in the week, but today, we rest.
Great memories and how fun! Wish we had a place with snow within driving distance!
beautiful pictures.
what a fun fun day!
Sarah Sarah I love ya. Thank you for not letting the two hour side trip ruin your day (men!). For a just a second or two you must have questioned whether this snow day was meant to be! Am I the only one who might justify a difficult (character chiseling) experience, foolishly, as a consequence for not going to church? I can surely see myself and my family in your [wet] boots and snow-filled jeans. Trekking toward Breckenridge, ready to dismiss the whole day when I hear a sneeze from the back of the SUV; an argument breaks out between two moody kids and finally the nauseating smell of diesel exhaust mixed with spilled coffee spells certain disaster ahead. Ahhhh…. perseverance! We are often so rewarded beyond expectation when we stick it out. Think of what you taught your children through trenching onward. It’s remarkable how we don’t recognize the beauty of it all until we are able to recollect and capture something precious that we’ll be fortunate to every experience again. Let us all remember your adventure the next time we are stuck in desperate traffic with our families.
I just started reading you last week and will now have to join the email club!! Keep up the beautiful work and prayers for the publishing of your book. Can’t wait to read it!! Chair
when i first saw this comment i thought you were my sister (her name is charity and it’s uncommon).
=) pleasantly surprised that you are a different charity.
I loved your comment. you made me laugh. and funny, i never thought it was payback for not going to church. =) but i did think it was payback for not being better at marital communication.
thank you so much for reading and commenting.
s
Well it’s very wet here in Northern Cali s our adventure will be on the couch in front of a good flick with hot cocoa.
What did my family decide to do during the Winter Storm of 2010 here in the OC? Go to the beach, of course! We put on multiple layers, packed all three kids into the car and drove 45 minutes to Huntington Beach. By the time we got there my 1-year-old was asleep and the rain was being blown sideways by the winds coming off the ocean. Needless to say the beach was empty. We found a empty parking spot, put 2 too many quarters in the meter and woke up the baby. The five of us treked out to a lifeguard tower so we could huddle under it and watch the waves. Being a native of the NW I’m used to cold, gray, windy days at the beach and I wanted my kids to experience that type of beach day too. My three-year-old daughter sandwiched herself between my husband and I because she was cold and the baby was confused by all the wind and noise. But my five-year-old son was overjoyed by the power of the wind to hold him up, the size of the waves rolling onto the beach and the fact that the seagulls were flying sideways. We stayed out there for 20 minutes. But, like your trip, all of the time and effort to get there were totally worth it. I love adventures!
i LOVE the beach in the winter. something is so amazing about the power of the surf, the emptiness of the sand, the cold and wet air.
good call. =)
One day, years ago, it was a glorious Spring day here in Louisiana. I went to my kids’ school, checked them out, & put “weather” for the reason for the check-out (it was after noon). Then we went to the park! Great day!
this is why i hate and LOVE snow day adventures. i need a snow day.
uh, YEAH! and I was just thinking about how BEAUTIFUL Bass lake is right now.
sigh
i was wishing we were were snowing it up north with you all. =)
my sweet mom always wants us to “make memories” whenever we’re together. It’s her version of an adventure. She’s just the best mom, and always had exciting things that helped us learn and grow. She made us eat all sorts of “gross” food growing up (which we all now love) as “no-thank-you helpings”. She found adventures in everything. We now see every opportunity to be together as a chance to make new memories, because she taught us how. Your special day with the family reminded me so much of her. My own mother-ship (word?) is looming, and I hope to take the inspiration from you both for my own family! Have a fun week!
oh i love this! I love that ya’ll took an adventure. This has been a topic of great discussion in our house lately that we do not have enough quality time with our children. we need adventures. memories. you have inspired me as always. love ya girl! Christi
Love it, sarah–looks like wonderful memories for you and your family and quite an adventure
Love the connection that is between you too…
memeories are so percious.
BLESSINGS
Why is it, that snow in California looks so much nicer than snow in Michigan? Beautiful pictures!
oh gosh. i’m not used to snow, but it was soft and deep and clean. It was beautiful!!
So well written! We did something similar recently. 30 minutes into a 12 hour drive we stopped on the side of the road to play in the snow.
Normally we only stop during roadtrips for emergencies…like food. But being Texans, we rarely see snow so we decided to exit our warm cozy car and disrupt our peaceful children so we could have a snowball fight. It was cold, the kids took a long time to settle back down, but it was so worth it.
Thanks for the reminder.
And those pictures at the top of your post? …awesome.
i love that you did this, that you made such an unconventional memory and that you did not give up. what a special day.
thank you for inspiring me to do the same!
<3
When I read this it made me think about how life IS an adventure….how day by day we can feel discouraged and irritated by the stuff life throws at us…sometimes big, sometimes little….but when we reach our destination it will all be worth it- we will forget the hurts, tears, discouragements, and pains as we stand before the brilliance of our great God!!!
Thanks for sharing Sarah!