Raccoon Paw Prints on Freshly Fallen Snow.

Project 365 * 4
Day 394

     I'm not normally a morning person. But this morning was such a gift to me. I was up very late cleaning last night. It's just easier for me to clean at night when the kids are in bed. But I tend to get really caught up in all the cleaning, and I don't realize how late it gets. Last night I stopped cleaning around 1, and went to sleep around 1:30. Tobin woke up around 2, and cried until 4:30. When my alarm rang at 6 this morning, I was shaking. Literally. Then I saw the most amazing text message ever. 2 Hour Delay. A 2 hour delay means no school for us. Because Addy and Casey go to school in Lorton, and their day would start at 11 instead of 9, and they have to be picked up at 1, we never go to school if there is a 2 hour delay. It's just a whole lot of driving for not much schooling. When I saw that text this morning, it was as if angels were singing hymns of praise as sunbeams shown down from the heavens.

     As I walked Roxy this morning in the brisk cold, I felt alive. The best part of our walk this morning was examining all the different paw prints on the snow. Dog prints. Cat prints. Bunny prints. Bird prints. A big bird, too. And my favorite, the raccoon paw prints. They were so adorable. Like funny little hands. It was amazing to see how busy all the animals were this morning.

     As I was shoveling our steps this morning, I realized I could do my kind thing for the week. I shoveled my neighbor's steps, and the sidewalk in front of his house, as well as ours. It was a small kind thing, and the snow was easy to shovel, but I was so happy for the opportunity to be kind to my neighbor. I was happy that while I was doing something kind, I could breath in more cold, fresh air. And the opportunity to do something kind and good only added to all the joys of this very sweet morning.

     We had a leisurely breakfast bathed in the warm sunlight pouring in the windows. It was quiet. It was clean. It was warm. It was pretty. And I was so, so thankful to be home with both my babies. I was so glad I didn't have to brave the cold, and traffic, and busyness of the day. I was so glad to be at home on yet another snow day with my two loves.

     Thankful that I got to sleep a little extra this morning. Thankful for another snow day. This winter rocks. Thankful for paw prints in freshly fallen snow. Thankful for the brisk cold air this morning. Thankful for fresh air in my lungs. Thankful for a lazy morning with my babes. Thankful for a quiet breakfast. Thankful for sunlight pouring through windows. Thankful for a very fine morning.