Hannah asked me this on the way to school this morning. Did I like the snow when I was a kid? I told her I did. It was fun to play in, and to shovel and throw snowballs. We used to bury ourselves in it, and build forts in it. We used to pack milk cartons (had to explain cartons) full of snow and made KILLER forts. And it used to get us out of school several times per year. And it was fine with me. But I'm a grumpy old man now. I've never been a big guy, so I don't have much body fat. I mean I'm six feet tall, but I don't weigh more than 165 on my heaviest days. I got no insulation here folks! So, I don't mean to sound like a grumpy old man, but I'M 40!! I'm cold all the time. I've had back surgery and leg surgery...one ankle surgery, one hip surgery. Shoveling snow is like a whole different kind of hell for me. I'm not saying others don't have bad backs and legs and necks and shoulders. I know they do. For me, snowstorms make me pissy. Makes me feel like I'm gonna have a sore back and cold toes for the upcoming week.
So, I take them sledding. I pull Sarah up the hill. I throw snow balls. I shovel the patio so I can grill through the snow. I shovel the driveway (almost all the time). I take pictures of them in the snow. I take videos. I enjoy watching them get worn out from the viewpoint of the front seat of my SUV with the heated seats.
I don't like snow. I don't like cold. I absolutely HATE winter. But it's a lesson in life regarding parenting. We do all kinds of crap that we don't want to do. I don't want to cook, I don't want to eat Mac N Cheese, I don't want to do all the dishes, I don't want to do laundry and fold clothes and put the stuff away. Yes, I get some help from Hannah because she's 9, but it's still on me. I guess winter for me is just like life. Filled with stuff I can't stand, but I end up getting through it all because it gets me to the good stuff. The good stuff is swimming, and hiking and playgrounds...putting the kids on my feet and playing airplane, snuggling under the covers, going to movies and seeing those huge 3-D glasses on my little girls. I live for those times. I love those times.
So, winter comes every year, and I hate it more every time it does. But it just means that spring and summer are right around the corner. I can smell the suntan lotion even now. I can see my girls on the trampoline laughing uncontrollably. I can feel the hot cement under my feet around the pool. I can taste a hamburger as I sit by the grill that I just cooked it on. I can see Hannah with catchup on her shirt and a little blob of it in the corner of her mouth as she finishes her hotdog with the grill marks on it. I can't wait to eat outside. I can't wait for it to be light at ten o'clock and chasing fireflies with a peanut butter jar. I can't wait for Hannah to climb into the Maple in front of the house and hear her tell me "this is my climbing tree Dad". Mostly, I can't wait to see their little butts with the sharp tan lines. I can't wait for spring. I hate the winter, but I love looking forward to the things I love.
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