Prepared for bad weather?

 

 

 

For the New Year, we decided we would head out to our most favorite place to be. Our camper in Lancaster Pennsylvania.

We  did a bowling party with the kids to bring in the New Year, spent the night in our toasty warm camper, went to an awesome breakfast buffet at Yoder's, ate like little piglets, picked up some delicious raw milk, walked the creek and then headed home.

 

 You see, we are preparing for a storm here.

 

I'm prepared as far as food goes. But we had to prepare the house and Big Daddy.

 

We only heat our home with firewood. That means a lot of it  had to be brought in.  We had two kids working on that. They are saying this will be the coldest our state has seen in several years.

 

 

While I make sure the house is well stocked with food,  And I get out those snow suits, hats, gloves, the drying rack, boots, sleds, thermos' .. etc. etc.

Big Daddy is preparing the truck. In the winter, along with his regular job he plows snow. So while this mama is snuggled up cozy with the kiddos. He is out plowing. Making sure roads are accessible.

This could mean up to 18 hours or more of plowing. Just depends on the amount of snow we get.

As long as Big Daddy is home when he gets called in we make sure to send him with a thermos of coffee, snacks and food.

While we miss him, This is his way of bringing in an extra income to our family. I am thankful for his willing spirit to do this for us. In fact, this is how we bought our house. It was a snowy, snowy winter 13 years ago and we were able to put $12,000. away and use it as our down payment.

So how do you prepare for bad weather?

This is what we normally do: We make sure cars are full of gas, the yard is picked up, sidewalks are able to be shoveled, bikes, toys, are put away. Firewood is neatly stacked and tarped. Cars are cleaned out, and then any emergency items are put in them. Blankets in winter, extra clothes (all year around), water, candle in winter, flares.. etc. etc.

We check out food supply and  if we need anything I usually try and get it a few days before the storm hits.

I do keep emergency things on hand though to limit the amount of last minute running I may have to do. 

It's so important to be prepared.  I so often think back on woman in history and realize how fortunate we are.

I mean no weather channel to give you a heads up.

These woman must have constantly been busy making sure that the household would thrive in a bad bout of weather.

I'd like to adapt that to myself. I know that it's super easy for me to hop in the car, run to the store. But why not be prepared for such things. Like the proverbs 31 woman.

Her household did not fear. What a blessing that must have been! Her husband, Her children, even her servants were able to trust in her. They knew they wouldn't do without.  

I'm striving to be more "on top" of things this year.  More realistic with the time it takes to do that. Things don't happen as quickly as you'd like them too when you've got six blessings and a husband who works 60 hours a week.

(confession: I sometimes wait to long to do things and then rush around all crabby like)

I'm trying to reduce the above. (work in progress my friends)

With that said, I hope to encourage you along with myself.

So Mama's if your husband plows, or is an essential emergency personal.. How do you cope? What are things you do to be prepared for their schedules? What do you do with your kids? How do you prepare for Daddy's return?  

When Big Daddy returns from his plow jobs, we make sure there is a hot meal ready for him. The little girls and I will pull out his jammies, start running a towel in the dryer so it's warm for his after his shower, and then usually we make sure it's quite. Cause Big Daddy wants to sleep. :)

While Big Daddy is away my older sons do all the manly things around the house! I am so thankful for them as well, and a Daddy who had trained them up to be MEN!


Keep Sweet! Smile!

Blessings...