Well, Mississippi has gotten its second round of snow in one winter, which is almost unheard of, and, thus, we are starting to feel pretty seasoned and sassy when it comes to icy travel and calm and collected preparedness. I don't want to sound too cocky about us but, yesterday, when I ran to the store for a few survival essentials, I found the pandemonium level to be only low to moderate as opposed to our usual high level hysteria which basically resembles an episode of Supermarket Sweep.
Last night, our low was 11 degrees and when the temp hit about 19 with a wind chill of 12, Davis comes out of the bedroom in his Carhartt coveralls, hat, earphones, and gloves. I asked if he was going somewhere or if he was just cold, at which point, he announced he was going to get a walk in for some exercise. He was tired of sitting around and felt the urge to get up and move. I wasn't having those same urges as I was kind of enjoying the sitting around thing, myself, so I decided that I wouldn't join him as (A) I wasn't in the mood for frostbit extremities and (B) I didn't want to hinder my body's valiant attempt to layer itself up, this cold winter. So, he headed out into the frigid darkness and I felt like Ma Ingalls watching Pa go out into the blizzardy night to fetch a doctor for Laura.....not knowing if I'd ever see him again.
This morning, when the thermometer had climbed up to about 15 degrees with the roads iced over, I staggered out of the bedroom around 9:45 to find him checking reports on the weather and road conditions in a desperate attempt to find a way, any way, to salvage the work day. With sleep gunk still in my eyes, I decided, then and there, that there were simply two kinds of people in this world. The kind of people who want to get out there and work and exercise, despite all the legitimate excuses that are handed to them on a silver platter, and the kind of people who think those people are nuts. Davis is the first kind. I am the latter.

Today was his birthday and, since Carson was on his second snow-ish day out of school and it was too risky for Davis to travel where he needed to work, the three of us went out for lunch and celebrated the man of our house. I think I'm so amazed by him because he belongs in that first group of people of which I'm not a part. The kind whose feet hit the floor before 6:00 am, so excited to start their work day. The kind who can't think of one, single thing they'd like to get for their birthday. The kind who stick to their disciplined routine and don't jump on every excuse that comes along. The kind who order broccoli as a side at their birthday lunch.

Yeah, he's everything I'm not and that's what I love about him. We're thankful to celebrate another year with our steady, dependable, hard-working, selfless Davis and we'll continue the celebration, this weekend, with Blair and John Samuel.

Happy Birthday, Davis!  
 Y'all have a great weekend!