Someday

As we plod through a record-setting winter filled with fierce winds, historic snow falls and frequent ice storms, my children have acquired a whole new set of vocabulary words. Phrases like “delayed start,” “early out,” and “cancellation” sprinkle my grade schoolers’ jargon on a weekly basis. The unpredictable school schedule has added a twist to daily life.  Snow days need to be made up in June, so we are growing tired of the winter weather that continues to cut into our summer schedule. But we love the idea of a delayed start.  This marvelous shortening of the school day gives the snowplows time to clear the roads as the children remain safe and snug in their homes.

For me, the delayed start is the perfect set-up for a family breakfast. I love the chance to linger over the first meal of the day when my children are bright-eyed and fresh.   No need to choke down a hurried bowl of Lucky Charms or to throw a buttered bagel at my poky child as she races for the bus; a school day that begins at 10:30 AM calls for tall stacks of pancakes with sizzling bacon on the side. And frothy pink smoothies with a dollup of whipped cream on top that resembles the wind-shaped snow drifts in our backyard. A delayed school day means everyone has time to tell a story over breakfast and I have time to listen without interrupting with annoying questions like, “Have you brushed your teeth yet? Did you put your shoes in your backpack? How do you spell awkward? Now remember, there are two ws in that word…”

Yesterday, as the kids huddled around the kitchen table with plates piled high and voices raised even higher, the happy noise in our house was nearly deafening. Hannah was sharing the details of her wacky night dream, while Luke commented on the previous evening’s Olympics. Lizzy was singing a corny song off-key just to make Maggie laugh, while Joshua was demanding that we all glance at his pancake which he was sure resembled a backhoe.  Rob, who is normally long gone by the time the children rise from bed at 6:45 each morning, just happened to have the morning off.  He sat with his plate full of pancakes and absorbed the cheery chaos for a moment.  Shell-shocked, my husband turned to where I stood at the stove and raised his eyebrows in look of weary amusement. I laughed at his glazed expression and said, “Someday we’re going to start the day with quiet…”

Just then, we both surveyed the exhuberant blessings in our midst.  My husband’s eyes teared up a bit and he responded, “Yeah, and then we’ll probably miss all this noise!”

At that moment, Maggie began banging her baby-sized spoon on the high chair tray and Hannah burst out in a muppets-style rendition of Ode to Joy.  I smiled at Rob and the look we exchanged seemed to say, “Let’s just enjoy today; for SOMEDAY will be here before we know it!”

Today’s Treasure: For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven… A time to be quiet and a time to speak…  –Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7a