Thank You Mr. Mailman!!!

As I crunched my way across the now frozen grass I questioned our sanity in moving to some place that it's 30-degree's at 4:30pm. I'm watching my 'dragon breath' as Elijah calls it surround my head with every step as I near the mailbox. I heft out the pile of catalogs, magazines, bills and lone Christmas card (thanks mom) and hurry back inside. Perusing the pile I toss the Harry and David, Lands End, Hickory Farms, some funny hunting one for my husband all aside. But wait. What's that? A tomato? oooooooh YEEEEEEES!!!!! Definitely a tomato catalog, WOOHOO!!! This is where I start doing a little dance...OK back to mail, wait. Could it be? Another seed catalog??? It really IS Christmas!!! The light at the end of the tunnel is blazingly bright with the arrival of seed catalogs. Anticipating those warm rays of early spring, bringing forth just enough heat to activate the tiny seed set lovingly in it's little hole. To burst forth, hopefully not get trampled on by a then teenage dog or eaten by our feathered freeloaders. They offer promise of less trips with 3 kids to the store, less time to hear "can I...?" and "I wanna...!" and "if we're good...?" Less screaming and jumping off the benches set up in aisles (why oh why are there benches in Walmart?) Less playing with all the toys in the check out. Less standing up in grocery carts, less hanging on the side of the cart that is threatening to fall over on them, less stickers to peel off my food telling me all the exotic places that it came from!!! Less buckling of 3 car seats which in itself is worth it's weight in gold! And to top it off these 2 slick little pieces from heaven aren't even the ones that I ordered, they're still out there. Finding their way through the frost and fog, knowing they are going to pull me through winter. I will open my Pedro Ximenez, I will get the fireplace going and spend the evening in bliss. Thank you Mr. Mailman...