Snow days. I hate having to make up school in June, but any teacher who is a mom will tell you that a snow day in December is a blessing. That's the only reason many gals are able to get some holiday baking done, cards written, and gifts wrapped. We were stuck at home for two days during a whopper of a snowstorm, when I think the whole state of Iowa was closed. It was nice to be snug and safe at home, and I secretly said thank you prayers for the gift of time at home to prepare for the holidays.
Teaching full time and keeping up with family activities leaves little extra time for holiday preparations. Some days I stumble home from a crazy day in first grade with barely enough energy to throw some supper together. The weekends fly by in a flurry of all the jobs that didn't get done during the week. A day of Christmas shopping at the mall kept getting squeezed out by other pesky responsibilities like groceries, cleaning, and lesson planning.
About a week later, freezing rain brought another day off. I grumbled to myself at the way the school year was going to be extended, and activities at school would need to be rescheduled. Then I smiled to myself as I sat down at the computer, searched for online deals with free shipping, and nearly finished the Christmas shopping.
Yesterday was our first day of Christmas break. As I listened to the rain outside and watched it freeze on the tree branches, many school cancellations scrolled across the bottom of the tv screen. My heart was filled with sympathy for districts who would have a fourth day to make up. Then I wondered why any district would scheduled classes on December 23rd? I wanted to give the superintendents of those districts a head-thump. Those administrators obviously aren't the ones in the family responsible for the shopping, baking, wrapping necessary to "do" Christmas. I imagined hearing the thank you prayers of women all over Iowa yesterday as they reveled in a bonus day to bake some goodies with their kids or get the gifts wrapped and under the tree.
Jesus is the reason for the season, but the worker bees that are responsible for the festivities deserve some time to make it happen!
