Disgruntled.

Night before last, something miraculous happened. It snowed in Georgia. It was only for about a 30 minute span...and then it turned to sleet...and then rain. My 3 boys were delirious with joy. They were dizzy with delight of the prospect of school on Thursday being delayed or, better yet, canceled. Adam was pulling on layer after layer of clothing, hoping to make a snow angel or a snowman. He ran outside for a few moments and ran back in to happily report that he heard the snow crunching under his feet!



To really understand the magnitude of Adam's joy, please step back in time with me to 2 years ago...



When we realized that we would be moving from the beautiful, serene, town of Blacksburg, Virginia, we decided to pray as a family about where we should relocate. Our first option was to accept a job offer that would take us to Winchester, Virginia. As mentioned in previous posts, we consider ourselves to be Virginians and we were hoping to stay in Virginia and just have to move several hours north. Winchester is considered to be a suburb of Washington, D.C. with the housing prices to match. It did not take long for us to realize that finding a house in Winchester for our growing family was going to be stiflingly expensive. (After a long day of looking at housing with outrageous pricing I remarked to Mike, "If we move here we are going to have to live in a pup-tent. My comment would have been witty, except for the fact that it was a true assessment, and soooo, not funny, at the time).


After returning home we decided to investigate the job offer that would take us to Augusta, Georgia. We realized quickly that, though we didn't want to leave our home state, a move to Georgia would mean a better paying position with a much friendlier housing market. We had been praying with the boys to be guided as to where we should go. We made lists of pros and cons and decided that a move to Georgia was in order.


I should have been more selective in what I shared with the boys in terms of the "cons" of moving to Georgia. Some of Adam's all time favorite things to do on the planet, are to play in the snow and go sledding. I will never forget him (age 5 at the time) coming to me with tear filled, big brown eyes and saying (because he knew at that point, we had decided to accept the position in Georgia). "Mom, I really think Jesus wants me to live where I can go sledding." It took some time to help Adam understand that Jesus wants us to live where Daddy has a good job and we don't have to live in a tent.


Now return in time with me to the present day. (I wish I could cue some sort of cool sound effect here)...



It began to actually snow the other night. I am not kidding...it was SNOW! Adam was layered and ready to begin all of his favorite snow related activities and as mentioned before, drunk with glee at the prospect of school being cancelled. It was over before it even began, though. All of Adam's beautiful snow turned to rain and was gone within an hour. He went to bed crestfallen but, still clinging to the hope of freezing conditions coming in the night and causing a layer of ice to at least cancel school. In the morning his saddest fears were confirmed when he realized that only rain was falling and school would not even be delayed.



He exclaimed to me, "I don't like Georgia! It never snows and no-one cheers for the Hokies!(Va. Tech). As he was dressing he said with resolve, "I am moving BACK TO VIRGINIA!!!!!!". I told Mike that we may need to be worried because he didn't even offer to let any of the rest of us move back with him.



Well, Adam...don't worry Aunts Jean and Peggy said that you are welcome to live with them...but I beg you to consider staying with our little family. We have really grown accustomed to having you around, and are very attached to you.



Here are some pictures from happier times. The winter before we left our homeland.







Ya know, I kinda' miss the photo ops.

Pictures taken December 2005 (Evan 8 years and 5 months old, Adam 5 years and 5 months old and Brian 2 year and 7 months old)