Angels and Blessings

Sometimes I think about angels and blessings and how things end up working out. For example, when my cousin came this summer. She was an angel and it was blessing and I don't know how I would have done it this summer without her. In college, my Aunt (who happens to be my cousin T, who came out this summer, mom...and my Godmother) randomly sent me some money with instructions that I needed to do something fun with it. She only did it that one time, and it came at a time when I really, really, really needed some extra cash for some expenses. It was like a God send. A friend who calls at just the right time so that you can laugh or cry and share.

Today, Max and I headed to the snow. I was getting a bit worried that it might have all melted and the place where I was headed and told was the place to go only had snow on private property. I asked someone and he pointed me further up the hill to the very top. When I got to what was the peak, there was a closed campground gated for the winter, but there was a hill and snow so I stopped and got out and got Max and I ready. Just as we were about to head down the hill, another family with 4 kids pulled up and got out. The youngest was three. I had borrowed a sled, a disk, and a snow tube from a neighbor and a friend. Since we were only using one, I pulled the others out so the other family could use them since they didn't have anything with them. We all just had a good ole time in the snow together for the next 90+ minutes taking turns and helping the kids up and down the hill. It was much more fun for Max to have other kids there and much easier for me because the other mom and I often just stayed at the top helping the kids get on the gear and the dad stayed at the bottom, "caught" the kids, and helped the little ones back up. They had more fun because I had equipment and we had more fun and more help. I just love win-wins. And, in the believe it or not, it is a small world..they live two blocks from Max's preschool. Anyway, we did end up having a good time. No pictures because it was a bit too slippery and I needed to stay in the moment. But, it got me thinking once again about angels and blessings and how things end up working out sometimes.

I really hadn't taken Max to the snow and it was one of the things I have been wanting to do and the timing didn't work for anyone else to go with, but was the only day I really could do it this vacation. And, Max did not want to get his pictures taken. He covered his face and refused to take one with me on Christmas and Christmas eve, but I really wanted to get updated family pictures before I went back to work and for the holiday's. You noticed how happy and smiling he was on the photos? Yes? I did what any good mom would do, bribery...incentive...oh, you want to go to the snow? Then, I need good cooperation and a good listener. Hey it worked and I needed and wanted to pay out.

N, the one I can usually count on to sleep through, was up more than she was asleep last night and screaming her head off last night. That girl sure has a pair of lungs on her that one. Not much sleep for either of us, then with the snow trip, I'm wiped. But, in spite of the hard nights, the more difficult, and the harder parts of parenting, I feel so blessed.

Angels and Blessings. Sometimes, you can see them in the more ordinary ways and places, like a random Tuesday, the last of the year.