Our family went skiing together for the first time on Saturday. Steven is an impressive ski racer and his girls could ski nearly before they could walk. For Jordan and Maddi it was a first time experience. I will say this was my first time skiing as well. I could tell you about my one high school incident where I skied into a parked car, but we won't count that time. Needless to say, my ski lesson with my ski-racing husband was all about learning how to stop.
"Make a pizza," he told me as I pushed my skis outward into a snowplow position. This was the command most of the day. The "French Fry" position of skiing straight down the hill didn't seem to be in my best interest. The snakes were my favorite, zigzagging back and forth down the powdery snow. I think Steven should write a book, "All I Really Need to Know about Skiing I learned in Kindergarten." Stop, take turns on the magic carpet (vehicle up the bunny hill), no pushing on the rope pull, help someone when they fall down, go to the bathroom BEFORE you put on your snow pants!
My favorite part of the day? Skiing with Steven's brother and sister-in-law and their kids. A day to be with family, what better blessing does a day hold? It makes me think of a letter a dear friend of mine wrote to her family after losing her husband unexpectedly last May:
I ask that each of you join me in taking an inventory of the loved ones in your lives. Please treasure your spouse, your family, and friends. Treat each person as they are, a gift from God. Choose your words carefully as you never know if they will be your last. Cling to God’s love and grace, it is the one thing we can truly be sure of. Dwell on what you have, not what you don’t have. Allow God to reveal his blessings to you each day.
Our ski day was a blessing. No one fell down, no one got hurt, we stayed until the place closed. Jordan asked, "What are we doing tomorrow? Can we come back?" Our night ended at the Pizza Pub eating taco pizza with wind-chapped cheeks and hearty appetites. Speaking of pizza, I'm ready to practice my pizza stance again soon!
The Lindemers go Skiing! Wild Mountain 2011
