Megan Again: Just Say Yes

Megan Again: Just Say Yes
By Megan Wirts

The cold fluffy white stuff blanketed our county and basically the entire state of Michigan the other day, giving us our first snow day of the season. Needless to say, my small people were thrilled. 

Me? Not so much.

I was tired, grumpy and my neurological disorder, Dystonia, was giving me lots of grief and pain. The cold always makes it worse and I just wanted to curl up on my couch all day and watch Hallmark Christmas movies and drink coffee.

Alone. 

Alas, that wasn’t in the cards for me on that...

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...cold, snowy, Monday morning. Instead, I would end up with a house full of children and most of them didn’t even belong to me. I really wasn’t in the mood for it, but it was the hand I was dealt for the day.

I had two choices, be a crabby mean mom and yell at kids all day or embrace it. I chose the latter.

When my BFF and neighbor asked if her two girls could spend the day with us, I said yes. When my brother called, and asked if my niece could come over for the afternoon, I said yes. When more neighbor kids showed up at my door wanting to come inside and play, I said yes. I said yes, all day long.

I decided that this was going to be the best snow day ever. First, we baked a ridiculous number of cookies. Then, we frosted the ridiculous number of cookies. This turned into a sticky, gooey, colorful mess all over my kitchen and basically the entire house. Usually, I would stress over it and follow the small people around wiping up their messes every time they touched anything. Not on this day, this day I just let the messes happen.

We baked and decorated, laughed and sang Christmas songs for hours. Then when all the cookies were frosted and covered with the most sprinkles I have ever witnessed, they got all bundled up and headed out into the snow.

In our neighborhood, we have a place called “The Hill”. It’s a mound of dirt left over from when all the houses were built. It is the place to be on a snowy winter’s day. Neighbor kids, ages 5 to 15 were out there having a blast together. I tell you, there is nothing like a snow day to bring kids together.

As much as I love seeing them having so much fun, I will always hate the cold. I also detest searching for mittens, hats and scarves, and I despise having wet snow tracked all over my house, because someone forgot their scarf and had to come in and walk all over my house to find it. Especially right after I had swept, mopped and vacuumed up all the powdered sugar and flour that exploded everywhere while we were baking. I also get super annoyed when I get a child all bundled up and then they have to go pee. Seriously, go pee before you put everything on!!! Despite all the things I hate about snow days, we had the best day that we have had in a remarkably long time.

​There wasn’t any fighting, crying or whining at all that day. I’ll be honest, on a day like that, I’m usually the worst offender, but the only tears I cried were from laughing so hard when I watchedone of the kids sled right into a big snow drift and do an epic face plant.

No worries, they popped right up, covered in snow with a huge grin on their face.

When they decided they had enough, everyone came in for my special homemade hot chocolate. The recipe calls for tons of sugar, chocolate and more sugar. I sprinkled that awesomeness with cinnamon and plopped two giant marshmallows on top. I heard, “This is the best hot chocolate ever!” and “Mmmmm…I could drink this all day.” and “Auntie Megs, you are the best!” quite a few times.

When everyone was sufficiently warmed up and all the wet snow gear was dried, they all bundled up once again. This time it was to deliver all the sweet treats we had made to every house in our neighborhood.

I really didn’t plan on going. I still wasn’t feeling that great and it is hard for me to walk in the snow. Being cold and shivering is also incredibly painful for me. However, I couldn’t refuse their pleas, plus my boy hooked up my mobility scooter to a sled and he was certain good old Ruby Red would make it through the snow filled street. So, again, I said yes.

I put on multiple layers and climbed on my scooter and away we went. I did get stuck a few times, but those small people of mine and their friends were quick to give me a push and the help that I needed. I may have cried again, but they were happy tears because those kids are all so flipping sweet, kind and patient with me.

We delivered boxes of treats to 12 houses and we even sang Christmas carols. I also introduced myself to the many new faces in our neighborhood. We have had five new families move here in just the last few months and I have felt like a terrible neighbor because I hadn’t met a single one of them. It was time that I be a little more neighborly and stop using my Dystonia as an excuse to be a hermit.

After we finished up and headed back home once again, we watched one of my favorite Christmas movies and snuggled up. I was exhausted and sore, but I felt so content and happy. I could have said no to that day. I could have had a miserable, hard and long day.

Instead, I said yes. I said yes to a day filled with friends, cookies, Christmas carols……..
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And wonderful memories.

Polar bear who sustained an injury during the process of cookie making