Thursday, January 17, 2008

A Magical Night, It Was...

We GOT SNOW, folks!

The white stuff! The "school is out today" kinda stuff! We got nearly 3 inches here north of Atlanta and I could not have been more excited. My only regret is that hubs is on a business trip and not here to share it with me!


Around 4:30pm yesterday it started with a few flurries and, by 9:00pm, it was pouring snow. Big, quarter-sized flakes fell on our noses as my friend Kim and I helped the kids form snowballs for the requisite snowball fight. My son D., a quite excitable young lad on non-weather-event day, was beside himself with glee.



Although I could not stay outside and play because J. was inside asleep, I took great delight in looking out into the darkness of our front yard and seeing shadowy figures pelting each other with snowballs. Inside, I had turned off the lights and, with candles aglow and soft Christmas lullaby music playing in the background, I slowly rocked J. back and forth in my arms as I watched the snow coat everything in sight. It was yet another instance of what I call a "pocket of contentment". A time when there is nothing wrong, nothing to worry about and something quite ordinary (like kids playing outside) takes on a bit of magic.

I know for the non-Southerners-who-are-used-to-the-white-stuff-and-ready-to-move-onto-Spring, this may seem humorous. But it really was a special night.

Because as giant, unfamiliar white flakes poured out of a dark sky, the candles flickered and the soothing sounds of "Silent Night" filled my living room, I listened to two very sweet sounds ...... the sound of my five-year-old son giggling with delight as he made a snow angel and my 6-week-old son snoozing soundly in his mother's arms.

It really was a magical night.

9 comments:

Megan Cobb said...

I got a very excited-sounding email from Nana about the snow last night! It made me smile adn laugh so much.

We get a lot of snow up here, of course, but I miss the EXCITEMENT you're describing. Here, snow is pretty much viewed as the same as rain but with a two-day clean up. It's mostly a pain. (Not to me, I just think being excited about snow is in my fabric and will never go away, no matter how many times I shovel the driveway.) Y'all enjoy it... make memories with Daniel. Have some hot cocoa with marshmallows for me. It's weird how a Southern snow makes this transplanted mid-Westerner a little homesick.

Hugs!

M

Anonymous said...

Hmm...you think any of that is heading to Houston? (::cough, cough:: yeah...right!) So glad you got to enjoy that moment. And I like how you put it: "pocket of contentment." I have those moments, too, where the air somehow seems sweeter and you can hear the gears in the clock slowing down. I praise God for those moments!

Cindy-Still His Girl said...

mmmmmm... sounds perfectly yummy. We woke up this morning to a pretty blanket of snow- where the tree limbs are so beautiful. Surprisingly, we here in the midwest haven't had much of ANYTHING this year, so this morning was exciting for my girls. It would have been even better at night and with a baby to rock, though! :)

Anonymous said...

I remember when I lived in Florida and it snowed once and it was the strangest feeling.

The night you described doesn't just sound magical, it was magical and I hope you can remember it vividly for always.

Me, well, I'm in Iowa now and I need to get outside and shovel the 5 inches that fell this morning now that the bus has come and gone to deliver the kiddos to school.

Enjoy your day!

Zaankali said...

I am getting a chuckle at how many "southern gals" are posting about snow. Us northern girls are left thinking "what is the big deal". You can chuckle when we post about sun.
Smiles!

Julie said...

Sounds completely wonderful. I am sooo jealous. I would love me some snow.

Melissa said...

I have many many memories of "winter weather" over MLK weekend in Atlanta! A snowstorm is way better than an icestorm, though!
Hopefully you're still enjoying the snow (it's 70* here in So Cal today)
:o)
~M

Nicki said...

Daniel looks like he had a blast! What a wonderful evening you had.

Anonymous said...

I actually thought of you during the snow action and thought how excited you must have been! I did think it was beautiful, but am still hating the cold! :-)

Shannon P.~