the perfect day, part 1.

5:55 a.m. -- my alarm goes off, waking me after a restless night of sleep. head to the bathroom, throw in the contacts, get dressed in the dark, and head outside. load up the skis, pull out w/out lights so the kids will stay asleep.

6:20 a.m. -- click into the bindings, and head into the dawning morning. the new bike trail just west of the old target on euclid is quiet, except or the shushing of my skis and the sound of the 2 day scruff on my chin against the collar of my jacket. the cold makes my eyes water; the street lamps glow orange and my headlamp gives off enough light to see the tracks of the bikes that had passed this way since thursday night. the peace and chill of the morning both wake me up and lull me to peace. the only thing audible far back on the trail, away from the street, is the movement of small animals i can't see in the underbrush.

6:58 a.m. -- heading home...13 degrees, didn't seem that cold! sweating in this weather is a good thing. offer prayers of thanks for the chance to move, to be alive, to be part of this day. and the fact that strong, hot coffee is waiting for me when i hit the back door.

7:20 -- all 3 kids come out quietly, we snuggle up under a blanket and watch some cartoons. breakfast is donuts and more coffee...kari is off to bible study and rehearsal for sunday morning.

8:45 -- kristyn is gone to dance, brady and em and i start project gingerbread. baking gingerbread babies and making our first ever g'bread house. emy eats frosting and runs around, brady works real hard! he's waited for this for a week...and now, it's time!

10:45 -- all is finished, the house smells of fresh gingerbread. the kids eat and can't decide if they like gingerbread or not! molassess and g'bread are some of my favorites...amazing how long it takes to make them, but they are so worth it. i clean up, and we move to the next part of the day.

might be one of the best early saturdays i can remember...

part 2 coming later...