Weathering the storm ~

Last night was one of those nights I am thankful that I didn’t have to sleep outside and try to survive amongst the elements. Wind, rain.. and then a wet heavy snow that fell before the temperatures dipped below freezing~ left all 4 walls and the windows of our home coated with a wet and icy blanket. The power went out for a while bringing back fond memories of life in the cabin. For those who don’t know.. Hawk and I lived in a 14X16 1 room cabin for 2 1/2 yrs~ no electricity.. no running water. Our oldest son Tyler ~was 2 when we moved into the cabin.  All the  seasons had their challenges, but also their rewards. But long winter nights like this one were spent cuddled up together in front of the wood stove, telling stories and reading books to each other by the light of oil lamp as the Wyoming wind blew the snow and cold around outside, searching, but never finding a way in.

As I lit the candles last night,  washed the dust from the globe of our old oil lamp, and stocked the fire… my mind drifted back down that road of memories… I watch Josiah, sitting in the glow of the lamp trying to write a story, but being easily distracted by his breath on the flickering flame.  And the mom in me worried about where our grown son was and how he was weathering his storm tonight.  Missing the good times ~ and wishing that on this cold wintery night I could once again hold that little boy in my lap, tell him stories, make shadow puppets on the walls, and hear him giggle~ like we did back then, when he was little and still believed that there was nothing in the world that mom and dad couldn’t fix… When he believed that his dad was a super hero~ and mom was his best friend and had magic powers.

I am pulled from my thoughts as the porch light flashes on and I once again hear the hum of the refrigerator~ Josiah looks up from his notebook and says.. “Wow.. it’s snowing outside.!”

I get up and go to the porch for another log to stock the fire.. let the cold and soggy dogs inside for  the night. But when I went over to blow out the candles, I pausing for a moment, just to watch the flame dance away  at my approach and decided to leave them lit for just a little while longer. I sat down on the floor by the fire next to Josiah and read the story he was working on. He looks up at me and says.. “Hey mom.. check this out!”.. as he holds up his hands in front of the oil lamp and attempts to create some mean shadowy creature on the wall.

Children grow up too fast.. and just because they are adults doesn’t mean that we stop being parents. It doesn’t matter if you are 2, or 20 or even 40 ~ you are never too old to take a little time to make shadow puppets on the walls.  Because after all it’s always easier to weather a storm with those who love you…. and you never know… maybe,  just maybe as the shadow walks across the wall ..and there is no internet or phones for distractions~ you will realize that when the storm outside is searching for a way in,  ~  mom just might still have magical powers after all.