Snowbound

Excuse me, but does anyone know how to spell eye-yiyi??? (I need to know that one for the record.) For all those interested in stats, Emma has had literally 100 doses of medicine (4 different kinds, not counting any vitamins). She was homebound from February 1 through February 12. During that time, I was primarily homebound with her. I made it to church (Todd and I tag-teamed it), and this past Saturday I did some grocery shopping.

To make life all the more interesting, the boys were home on Monday and Tuesday last week because school was cancelled for frigid temperatures. Wednesday through Friday were two hour delays. We've pretty much forgotten how to get ready in the morning for the usual routine. Our children have turned into monkeys and our home has turned into a zoo.

Add to the fun a really HUGE wigwam that Noah made for his class as they study Native Americans. It became a family event with each person adding their own contribution and creativity. Todd and Noah soaked branches in water and tied them up in strings. Noah cut paper bags to look like animal skin and glued them to the magna-structure they created. Samuel, Noah and I went to our friend's farm to dig out stones for a firepit with tissue paper flames. Samuel decided there needed to be some meat hanging over the fire, so he created a stand on both sides and made a juicy piece of "meat" cooking on top. Bow and arrow, canoe and pond, pile of wood for the fire....and the scene took the entire dining room table. Yesterday we ventured out for Emma's first day out of the house and took the mammoth thing to school.

Todd left for a business trip yesterday before dawn. Since then, we've had maybe 18 hours of snow. That's just a guess because I really haven't spent the entire time watching out the windows. I did manage to take note of several neighbors who tried to battle the storm with their snowblowers and shovels. I thought the efforts would be futile with all the wind and continual accumulation. Maybe tomorrow.

So here we are, the wind howling and rattling the windows, snowbound. If I hadn't been housebound for most of the month of February, I might enjoy it a little more. For now, though, I'm doing my best to not lose sanity. (Todd would be quick to tell you that I lost that long ago.) You can only take so much of wired kids, messy rooms, potty accidents, and little connection with the outside world.

Samuel led the kids in devotions tonight. At the end Noah said in all seriousness, "Samuel, why don't you go ahead and lead us in prayer too." It kind of made me chuckle because it sounded so grown up. The prayer was humbling to say the least. He prayed for each person and the things they are going through...Emma and her healing from tonsils, Maddie's potty power, Noah's wigwam grade, his own test coming up this week (should they ever return to school, heaven help them), Daddy in Florida, and Mommy for "whatever she was working on the computer". I was touched that he cared for each person, but the thing that got me was the ending. "Jesus, please help the ones that no one prays for. Help the ones who have no food in their stomachs tonight, no clothes and no house to keep them warm, and the ones who are caught in the storm. Amen."

Perspective. Conviction. Out of the mouths of babes...