Five things that make winter better

I don’t think it’s officially Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I feel like the dreariness of winter certainly takes a toll on my overall energy and enthusiasm level at this time of year. So, I’m trying to have a more proactive approach to battling the winter blues. In a unique way, strapping myself to a desk chair and writing a blog each week makes me immediately more grateful for the people and things around me. And, gratitude seems to be an antidote to “blah” most any day. So, in no particular order, here are five random things that I’m thankful for because they are making winter bearable:

#1: Celebrations of little things. Today is the 100th day of school, or thereabout, for the Kindergartener. This year they’re partying with a Western theme, so here she is as a cowgirl {if cowgirls can have pigtails}:

She really wanted to carry a rope for authenticity, but I’ve seen her in action with one and thought it best we not try to wrangle anyone or anything up at school. She settled for the bandana and noted that if she pulled that over her face she would look like a “robert.” Hopefully all the cowgirls and cowboys behaved more like John Wayne than Billy the Kid today.

Next week is “Penguin Day” for the 3rd Grader, but she is much less enthused about wearing her costume. Her biggest concern is having to participate in the penguin parade where they waddle around the school. I feel certain she’ll ban me from photographing or videoing that one.

Winter could be a lot more fun for us as adults if we threw a few random celebratory days in here and there, too. If it ever happens, I’ll be on the planning committee for celebrating one whole normal week of school in the midst of snow and flu season.

#2: Flowers. I’ve decided fresh flowers are a natural mood booster for even the most dreary days. Trader Joe’s has fresh bouquets for $3.99-$5.99 that sometimes last for up to two weeks at a time. I’m not sure what they put in their flower food, but it works like magic! This is a picture of some still going strong more than a week after I bought them:

#3: The Psalms. Specifically Psalm 121. I’m trying to memorize a psalm this year not because I’m so spiritual, but because I’m so desperate. Our girls have long had sleeping issues. Right now we average considerably more sleep than any other season in the past {almost} eleven years. But, the older two struggle with getting to sleep on the front end of the night, and the youngest struggles with staying in her bed all through the night. So, I’m trying to commit these reassuring words to memory:

I look up to the mountains —
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day, 
Nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life. 
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, 
both now and forevermore.

The other night the 5th Grader told me she doesn’t like to go to sleep before we fall asleep at night. I understand that anxiety. She wants to feel like we’re still on guard, still watching over her. But, come eleven o’clock each night I’m going to have to hand that baton over to the Lord who “never slumbers or sleeps” because I lack that superpower.

#4: The Olympics. I don’t understand the first thing about bobsledding and wouldn’t dare sign up for ski jumping, as it seems like certain death. But, I am completely intrigued by the stories and stamina of the people who make it to the Olympics. To get in the spirit of the games we’ve been watching Olympic-themed movies, most recently: The Simone Biles Story and the classic, Cool Runnings. {I can also recommend Miracle, Race, and Eddie the Eagle}. In just a matter of days, all eyes will be on PyeongChang. The girls will, of course, be most excited about the figure skating competitions. They will start to believe that they could perform triple axles if only their mom would take them to the Ice Chalet. But then I will show them pictures like this and they will remember we use walkers on the ice because standing up on a frozen surface, let alone spinning and jumping on it, is very difficult:

The thing I love most about the Olympic coverage is how a little known sport like the luge can become captivating for a few minutes simply because we collectively understand how much is at stake and how much has been invested by the athletes flying down an icy chute at ungodly speeds. I know there are politics and power and probably some corruption at play as there is most anywhere competition exists, but so much about the Olympics is a celebration of humanity at its best. And, it makes for good winter television for a couple of weeks.

#5: Speaking of television, This is Us, or as I refer to it: This is Ridiculo-us. I’m not sure if it’s brilliant writing or flat out emotionally abusive writing, but the last two episodes have been gut-wrenching. Though I was 27 when my dad died rather than 17, there are some parallels that make it painful to watch.

Every night before bed in the winter I treat the cracks in on dry hands with a liquid bandage product called New-skin. When I take the applicator and apply the alcohol-based gel to those tiny cracks of broken skin it initially stings like the devil. But when I wake up in the morning, those same cracks have healed. I can still see evidence of where they were, but they are better. That’s how I have to think of this show. It’s painful to watch, but there is something almost therapeutic about doing so.

We didn’t keep our Woody as long as the Pearsons had theirs, but seeing it still brings back some sweet memories.