After a long drive on Thursday night, Nathan wakes up to pools of sunlight streaming in from the 'wall of windows' in one of the living areas at my parents house. To say that I love that house would be an understatement. Nathan dances in the light thrilled to be there and I too smile at the day ahead. This will be the first time in about a year that all of my sibblings have been together. We all start to wake up, pancakes are being mixed, showers being taken, when the phone rings. It's my sister, she called to say that she got into a car accident. Thankfully, she was fine, but the car was totalled and she needed a ride back home. Yet, another reason to be thankful, I think inside my mind. We spend the day together, as a family, and seeing my brother and older sister home gave me the feeling you get when you're a kid and you get to take that first swim of the summer on a very hot day.
The next morning was anything but hot. Nathan woke us up early Saturday morning announcing that it was snowing outside!!!! Sleepy-eyed and not quite awake, we stumbled out of bed to be greated by giant, soft, white snowflakes pouring out of the sky. "God answered your prayers!" I exclaim excitedly to my faithful five year old who prayed for snow through the winter and into the spring. Nathan and Steve throw on their coats and run outside to play in the mini spring blizard that is pouring down and resting on their bare heads and in the folds of their clothing. They build Nathan's long awaited snowman, spin in circles and try to catch the delicate flakes on their tongues. It snows all day. Inside the warm house, we have an Easter feast, read the Easter story, hunt eggs, exchange gifts and get ready for our long drive home. By 3PM, it is time to go. On our way to the car, Nathan and my dad engage themselves in a full on snowball fight. Dodging balls to get Kalea into the car, Steve get's hit by a stray snowball and before I know it, he too is involved. "RETREAT INTO THE CAR!" Steve yells to his troops. Dodging still more balls, Nathan and Steve jump into the car and we pull out of the drive way with snowballs making a perfect arc over the drive way and plowing right onto the windshield and roof of our car.
The drive home was surreal with giant snowflakes still pouring out of the grey Texas sky. We pass snowcovered fields, trees with leaves frosted with fluffy white, and the white roofs of the houses scattered across the frozen landscape. The kids sat quietly in the backseat soaking in all of the sights. This Easter, I realized that God not only gave us the gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, but He also gave us the gift of family and most surprisingly, SNOW!
