Owen's Wish Came True

Owen in front of Pop-Pop's snowy red car

It was all Owen could talk about when it came to our trip to the USA. Nothing else really mattered to him. He just wanted to see SNOW! It was disappointing for him to arrive to Philadelphia and find a beautiful day of sunshine with nary a snowflake in sight.

Ian and Alec see their very first snowfall

But all of that changed on Saturday. He broke into our bedroom early in the morning to excitedly announce in a noisy "whisper" (so as not to wake his brothers sleeping on the bedroom floor) that, "Mom! Dad! There's SNOW outside!"

Isabel ankle-high in a snow drift

To add to his excitement, later that morning my cousin Jason appeared with his wife and three of his children to introduce our kids to the joys of sledding. Between the neighbor's hill and Pop-Pop's yard there is an excellent route for an adrenaline high, and the kids repeatedly took turns racing downwards amidst many squeals and laughter.

Eva taking a breather

According to Mom-Mom, who was the official photographer of the sledding event, at one point Ian and Alec were placed on a sled by my cousin's teenage son and the two of them flew at breakneck speed directly at the fence! They crashed but instead of being frightened just laughed in excitement and continued their merry adventures.

Owen's smile says it all

The party might never have broken up if it wasn't for the unexpected sensation of freezing cold and frostbite that soaked through the kids' rather inadequate winter clothing and left at least two participants in tears of discomfort. Nothing a warm bath and some dry clothes couldn't solve, but nonetheless they did learn a greater respect for the tempting white stuff outdoors.

Ian and Alec grinning widely after their "crash"

There is nothing quite like seeing all these thrilling firsts through the eyes of a child. Our children are making some new and unforgettable memories. I am thankful God granted Owen's wish and allowed the kids this fun opportunity!