Becoming As A Little Child: Grateful For Snow

I know I should be grateful it's been so rainy and now is snowing--in April. The snow in the mountains is our water supply, and we really need all we can get. Plus, the more it rains, the less I have to water the lawn, which saves water, too. But spring is such a tease. We get gorgeous, sunny, perfectly warm days, and we drag out our capris and tees and sandals. Then the temps drop and it rains and even snows (love spring in Utah. . .), and we have to drag the cold weather stuff out again (this is not good for the space-challenged, like us).

Yesterday I was in a rebellious mood and wore my favorite black maternity tee and my black flip flops. It wasn't too bad when I went to the doctor, but by the time I took Ashley to ballet and headed to Albertson's, I was regretting my decision. The clouds were thick and plunking lots of thick raindrops down on us, and my kids were SO slow in getting out of the van. I was soaked and freezing going into the store--which wasn't heated at all, it seemed--and totally soaked and freezing trying to load all the groceries into the car (they had some really good sales this past week--got my free milk and $10 off my total order!). "I am such a dork." I proclaimed to nobody but myself. Apparently my built-in pregnancy heater has its limits. I will not make the same mistake today.

So I am trying not to grumble at the snow, and I am smiling at the example of my 18-month-old, Jeremy. Jeremy loves to go "bye-bye" and loves to go outside, and he absolutely LOVES the snow! He finally learned to walk 3 months ago, and when he discovered he could look out the front window, he loved to look outside as much as he could to see what was going on. He liked it even better when I'd open the front door and let him look through the screen door--the window is lower and looks out over the steps, not through a vinyl railing like the other window. When he'd look out on snowy days, or we'd go outside, I'd point to the snow and tell him what it was. About a month ago, we were leaving to take one of the girls somewhere, and he kept saying, "No! No!" In a family our size, it isn't unusual for our little ones to learn that word early, so I thought he was just being contrary. But I soon realized that he was saying it in an excited manner and pointing at something. Slow mommy that I am, I finally realized that since the sky was dropping big, fat snowflakes Jeremy was saying the word "snow!" It was exciting!

Ever since then, Jeremy has pointed at the window and said, "Uhts zat?!" And then he'll wait for me to answer, or just answer himself, "Snow!" (Or "No!" in Jeremy-language). Then he'll repeat it over and over with a tone of adoration in his voice, and usually will accompany his exclamations with giggles and happy sounds. Or he'll run to the window and point outside, standing on his toes, and squealing, "No! No!!" Today, as I took him to his crib for his nap, the sky was dumping big, fat flakes again, and the snow was sticking to some degree. I pointed out the snow, and his face lit up with pleasure. I love seeing the light in his eyes, and the pure love and gratitude he has for Heavenly Father's creations and blessings. It's at times like these that I can see why Jesus asked us to "become as a little child."