Snow Days

It's not very often we get snow here in south west France. I think in the seven years I've lived here we've had it twice.

Now, young kids usually love snow - right? Not Isi. Actually, not strictly true. She liked the idea of snow, just not the reality. The concept was good as far as she was concerned - family fun time outside, something different to play with, a construction opportunity (and she did like to build things). The reality was cold hands, wet feet and too many layers of clothing, all of which she disliked (with the notable exception of socks of course!).

This year we have had the longest period of snow that I can remember - it's been ongoing for days now and normally it disappears pretty quickly. Isi's sisters are loving it - no school and lots of building snowmen and pelting mum and dad with snowballs. And it makes me think about what it would have been like with Isi here. I thought there would have been tension between Isi's desire to stay in and her sisters' desire to go out and how someone would have lost out.

So then it made me look at the photos we have of the last time we had snow. I fully expected to see pictures of Alex and Rachael having fun and Isi looking miserable. But instead, I see Rachael helping Isi to find something she liked doing in the snow (emptying buckets of the stuff). I see Isi having fun sweeping away the snow. And I see the ways we found to make her more comfortable by bringing out a chair for her so that she didn't get too wet. I know that there were also whinges from Isi about wet floors and the cold and many changes of clothes to remove any hint of moisture. But it also reminded me that as a family we have always found a way to sort things out. I need that affirmation now more than ever.

Thank you Isi for reminding me that things are not all bad.