Winter Wonders

December in Iowa this year is typically snow, snow, and more snow. Here in eastern Iowa, we got about 8” earlier in the week and about 3-4" more yesterday. Although I wouldn’t trade our winter country vista for anything, it’s fortunate that snow is so beautiful or we wouldn’t put up with this weather. With my husband away in Iraq, clearing the lane defaults to me, which I wasn’t looking forward to as our skid loader is tricky to start these days sporting a broken choke wire.

I was working myself up to the snow-clearing task when a neighbor and friend down the road called to see if we wanted our lane cleared. They have a boy my oldest son’s age in school and I graciously agreed it would be a wonderful treat! It reminded me of the movie It's a Wonderful Life at the end where George gets a Bible from his angel Clarence with the inscription, "Remember, no man is a failure who has friends!"

Without friends to enjoy life’s breathtaking and miserable moments, our existence would be unbearably mundane and lonely. Sharing work lightens the load and sharing a joy or a giggle makes it all the more enjoyable. So, yesterday watching the second snowfall this week, I baked some Christmas goodies (cookies, pumpkin bread, and apple butter) to share with friends and family. If you’re fortunate enough also to be friends with all your family, it’s wondrous (because we all know being family doesn’t mean you’re always nice to one another).

The first delivery I make will be close to home…just down the road to thank some good friends for their endearing kindness. I would get too weepy explaining how much the simple act of clearing our lane meant to me (especially this holiday season with my husband away), so I hope my homemade goodies will humbly show my appreciation well enough.

If the Fates Allow

Christmas magic is all around, but this year doesn’t feel quite the same with daddy away in Iraq. He says it will be, “just another day” as it will be here at home for us too. The feeling reminds me of my favorite Christmas movie Meet Me in St. Louis. Yea, it’s not a typical holiday flick, but the main dramatic scenes take place at Christmastime with Judy Garland singing that marvelous holiday tune Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

The movie was released in 1944 during World War II and the song had special meaning for audiences then missing loved ones away serving their country. That endearing theme always tugs at my heat-strings each time I see it, especially this year feeling melancholy for the warmth of an old-fashioned, family Christmas.

Just getting by day-by-day is tough when you are counting the hours and being separated by war and many oceans will truly tell if two souls are made for one another. Oh, the irony of the familiar routines we all too often take for granted like snuggling, kisses, and handholding. As the song goes, “Someday soon we all will be together…if the fates allow.” For this Christmas season, we’ll don our holiday faces and get by all right even if our hearts aren’t quite as merry.

Our only wish this Christmas is that daddy returns home safe. Each night we dream of his homecoming and the first breathtaking glimpse of him walking towards us in the airport. That look, the first glance that makes our hearts leap, is worth all the waiting.

Frozen Folly

Living on a farm is so beautiful in the winter with the white landscape stretching to infinity. The scene didn’t seem quite as picturesque this morning, though, when my routine check of the cattle’s automatic waterer revealed it was empty (and thus frozen somewhere). Typically, this daily review takes just a few seconds and I briefly thought of skipping it this morning until I saw two of our cows lingering by the waterer and I knew something was amiss.

So, I went over to verify the thing was frozen (which it was) and then plodded to the house for a bucket of hot water to thaw the icy obstruction. When my hot water technique failed to remedy the problem, I called our hired hand to see if he could come out and investigate. He suggested leaving a bucket of water out for the cows and assured me I could go to work and he’d call me later with an update.

While running buckets of water to the cows (there were many as the black one was quite thirsty), I heard the water flowing into the automatic tank after the tan cow had drained the warm water. I called our hired man back to let him know the problem had been fixed. Driving into work, I felt good I’d been able to handle things alone in spite of the frosty 14° temperature. I hadn’t even minded when the cows began sticking their noses into my backside trying to find out what I was doing. I just had to check my butt for cow slime before going into the office.

Obstacles are presented, undoubtedly, to test us and provide opportunities to grow even though at the time, frustration can impede our ability to see the lesson. Embracing complications makes the simple things like the first season’s snowfall or a working automatic waterer feel blessed. Open your eyes and find the blessings all around you like piles of laundry and dirty dishes because it means you have many loved ones to share your life! Don a smile and hum a song while doing those dishes and take breaks to hug your family or just sit in the same room and enjoy their company. It’s the little moments in life that take our breath away so, make sure you’re watching for them!