Saturday's Smile - Snowmen

I relish the blog(ger)s I visit who make me think - who plant thoughts like seeds blown in the wind into the fertile ground of my mind each day. But what I adore and appreciate most and LOVE are the ones that make me genuinely smile within and without - the ones who tickle memories and my fancy. This morning I'm adoring, appreciating and LOVING Connie @ Dirty Footprints Studio for sharing the work of her 'kiddos' from art class.

Never met a snowman I didn't like. Nope. Not EVER. But since one early November about 17 years ago, I have a particularly big, mushy, soft spot in my heart for snowmen.

Colder than normal temps had seized us and overnight we'd received a much earlier than anticipated HEAVY snowfall in the western burbs of Chicago. My oldest son, Leo, was about to turn 14, (his 31st birthday is just a couple days away), and being ever short of funds I was doing that perpetual mother's dance with available cash, thinking I could buy 3 year old (7 years younger than the youngest of the older 3 so without any hand me downs) Rachel some winter outerwear AFTER taking care of big brother Leo's birthday.

Sooooooooo, the morning of the BIG 1st snow all 3 of the oldest kids had eagerly donned their coats, scarves, hats, gloves/mittens and boots and rushed outside...making angels circling the evergreen tree, starting a fort for snowball fights with kids down the street and finally, building the biggest snowman - EVER!

Even with double pane windows tightly closed against the cold, Rachel and I constantly heard them laughing with utter glee. The first ball, the base, of the snowman was in place and the next was almost getting too big to heft on top of the first as Rachel stood crying on the couch cushions, watching out the front window and whined that she wanted to 'make 'no man' too. My heart ached for her as I kept thinking for her this was likely the first snow she'd remember (the two prior winters of her life she'd probably not remember snow) and how I was responsible for her not having 'the gear' to be outside too and deserved a huge 'FAIL, Mom!'

Suddenly, my 11 year old daughter, Sarah, came rushing through the side door and whooshed up the stairs to my bedroom closet, coming down with an old winter coat and thermal sweatshirt of their father's and his cast off work boots from days gone by as a 'helper' on a construction job. She tapped on the front window and waved both their brothers in like a traffic cop. When the boys were in she had Joel, the younger brother, take off his coat and boots and the oldest pass his to the youngest, gave the oldest Dad's gear, and rolled up the coat sleeves of Joel's coat and stuffed newspaper balls into the toes of the younger brother's boots which she then put on baby sis. Several mismatched socks layered to became Rachel's 'mittens' and a couple layers of sweatshirts went under and over brother's coat to keep it from being 'too airy'.

Oh, how I wished I had a video camera to record the orchestration! One of my scarves got pulled into the mix and I helped tie it like a 'babooshka' to cover Rachel's ears. And then they were outside. And now, I stood at the window watching. And then right before my eyes - I saw a miracle! My oldest son, who prior to that day had mostly left behind or ignored little Rachel whenever it came to 'big kid' play, slowed down. While the two middle kids finished the next layer of the snowman's body, Leo kneeled down beside Rachel and guided her in beginning the roll for the snowman's head. When they got it to sufficient size and shape, she picked it up with his help and he picked her up to place it atop the snowman. Then they all gathered sticks for arms. Someone came in and grabbed a broom and a carrot for a nose and took it out.

And there I stood at the window with tears rolling down my cheeks, watching as they removed one's gloves and another's scarf and another's hat to 'dress' the snowman.

THAT was the first time I'd ever seen ALL FOUR of my kids work at any one thing together!

I've collected snowmen ever since...