One of those things we’ll laugh about later . . . or not

I haven’t updated this blog as much as I had hoped, but that’s mostly because I want to share pictures, the upload here is terrible, and taking the computer to Starbuck’s or the bookstore to do it is probably just a nice dream. But I don’t have any pictures of today’s “adventure”.

It snowed yesterday. Beautfiul, powdery snow that the girls had a ball playing in. Today we went back out, and Lizzy wanted to take us for a walk in the woods. Everyone seemed excited about the idea, so off we went. Lizzy led the way, dragging a snow shovel behind her to make a “path” for us to follow (this would be very helpful later on). We followed the little path behind the house to where it meets the bigger path. Lizzy wanted to take us to the right and show us how she and Daddy had walked to the highway. I said cautiously, “Don’t you think we should head back?” I was outvoted, and it was so wonderful walking through the magical, snow-covered woods with four happy girls that I said OK. Off to the highway we went.

The first sign of trouble was a few ice-covered puddles in the path. Lizzy and Katherine walked right over and Annabelle was in front of me while I led Charlotte by the hand. My weight caused the ice to crack (but not break) and the sound scared Annabelle. I explained that I was much bigger than her and if her sisters could walk over the puddles she would be fine. I also explained that they weren’t very deep, so if the ice did break I would just get some mud on my shoes. She looked like she wasn’t sure but I said, “Do you want to go back?” and she said no. It was dumb on my part to take her word for it.

A little further down the path, Annabelle was doing alright and keeping to the edge of the path. I asked Lizzy how much further it was and again suggested that we head back. “No, Mommy, it’s not much further!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I came with Daddy, remember?”

We found a gorgeous spot on the path with the snow glazing the tree branches and the sun shining through and I made the girls just stop and look. Then I took a step forward onto a puddle, cracked right though the ice, and got some mud on my boot. Annabelle went into hysterics. I tried to show her that it was just a little mud (stomping in the puddle to show that it wasn’t very deep) but to no avail. Annabelle’s screaming scared the baby and she started crying, so I told the girls that was it, we had to go home now.

I am not kidding when I tell you that I dragged two screaming, crying children about a half a mile home. It sounded like a horror movie in the woods. I kept hitting my head on low-hanging branches and had snow falling down in my coat. All of a sudden, I realized that I didn’t see Lizzy’s snow shovel path from our trip out. We had missed the path back to the house. So we turned around and just when I started to wonder if we hadn’t missed the path after all, Katherine called out, “There it is!” Attempts to explain to Annabelle that there weren’t any ice puddles on this path were useless, so I just settled for scooping the baby up and walking as fast I could.

So it was half a beautiful walk in the woods with my girls, and half a TOTAL disaster. I’m sure there’s a life metaphor in there somewhere, but all I can think about is how I need a day at the spa.

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