Beyond Bringing Up Boys

What exactly is a snow event in Georgia? Listen to this my northern friends. Just an inch or two! However, the biggest concern will be when temperatures drop, because the DOT has salt that will only work in temperatures above 25 degrees. It is looking beautiful outside right now. Just a small accumulation on the ground here in Henry county at this point. David has the misfortune of being at Wal-Mart right now...he just called and said the TV station is there and the store...packed out, of course! Keep tuned! :-)

When the boys came home from school on Wednesday, they were bustling with excitement—certain that the next day would be a “snow day”—even the teachers were excited. Some of David’s students haven’t seen snow in 5 years. But alas, when I woke up and looked outside on Thursday morning at 2 AM, I saw that the small accumulation that had come, had melted and rain had taken it’s place. Today will be different, they say, especially here south of the city, where we live. Several inches beginning soon. It’s rainy outside now, with a big sloppy snowflake now and then… In Kentucky, people went crazy when snow was expected. A live news report from every corner. I’m wondering how it will be here, where even less snow is seen. I’m frantically looking for gloves so the boys (and me!) can play outside IF it comes this time.

Always looking for a frugal tip, I was intrigued when I saw that my sister-in-law cuts her fabric softener sheets into four strips and uses only 1 per load. I came home and cut mine too. “I’m so proud of the way you are always looking for ways to save money,” David said when he looked into the drawer where I keep the dryer sheets. But I think he felt differently the next morning when he came out from the bedroom with his dress pants clinging to his calves like magnets to steel! “Uh…do you have any ideas how to prevent this?” he wondered. Well, we could cut them off at the knees… but that won’t look so good with a tie, I thought. All this to say, it does work to cut your dryer sheets but adjust as needed! Crystal is the queen of frugality at Biblical Womanhood …so if you are a frugal junkie…there will be more great links over there!

Moments have melted into years and today our oldest son is eleven! David wrote the following letter in anticipation of Zachary’s first birthday. Maybe later today I'll post the one I wrote that year too. Update...I did insert my letter at the bottom of David's. My boy Zachary, When dawn broke on January 17, 1997, your mother and I were getting settled in a hospital room. I distinctly recall looking out from the 5th floor window toward a brightening horizon, while snow flakes chased each other toward the cars below. The cold was bitter, and I was worried about your Mom. We expected you in a couple of hours. While the nurses prepared to take your Mother to the room where you were going to be born, I sat across the room, waiting, wondering what you would look like. I knew that your mom wanted you to have dimples, but I just wanted you to hurry and get here. Finally, the nurses came and pushed your mom away and I followed. I knew she was afraid, so I stood and watched her th...

Shocked. Last Wednesday, when my father-in-law called. “Can we come see you Friday? Cleaned. Thursday, all day. All day. Shopped. To buy a birthday gift earlier than expected. Thrilled. My boys when they found out that Grandpa and Grandma were coming. Celebrated. Zachary’s birthday. Grandma pulled it off another year! Exhausted. Not us! (probably Grandma and Grandpa) Grateful.