My son, the Hero of the Blizzard

Yesterday we all got ready to attend church in the rain, and even though it was Brogurt's naptime, he and I managed to make it through the sacrament before he fell apart.  Muad'Dib and I had planned for this, so Brogurt and I hopped in the van and drove home in the hail storm, leaving Muad'Dib to follow with the other children after church.

Brogurt was ever so sleepy, and we fell asleep to the soft sound of hailstones on the windows and roof.  When I awoke 45 minutes later - Brogurt still sleeping peacefully - I came down the stairs and what should I see out the front windows but a good 3 inches of snow and flakes the size of my thumb falling from the sky!

I laughed out loud, marveled at the beauty for a moment and set to have lunch and watch Downton Abbey.

I went on about my afternoon, knowing that at 2 the rest of my family would come home.  With light heart I cleaned up a bit, checked my blog, read a little Atlas Shrugged, and cared for Brogurt when he woke up.  He just wanted to snuggle and watch an episode of Blue's Clues, so I left him to it, finally wondering where my family was.  It was 2:15.

I check my phone, which I had left on silent and there was a message from Muad'Dib:  the last hour of church had been cancelled due to the snow.  And he had not been able to make it up the hill to our home - even with 4 wheel drive! - so he was riding out the storm with Lemur and Rivuelt at Desertbound and The Rock's house. 

I was truly surprised!  Even more so when a lady from the ward called and told me all about the bus which had attempted the drive up the hill and slid so far - and backwards! - that it blocked the entire road of 450 E, and no one could get up at all!

Well, Brogurt and I went about our day.  He was an angel.  I curled and styled my hair most prettily (in the fashion of Importance of Being Earnest, which I am directing) as Brogurt played in a warm bath.

Then there was a knock at the door!  Tristan and Nicole had come for dinner after all!  It had not truly occured to me that they would be able to make it, but neither had I called to find out.  Honestly, I had been having such fun, such a peaceful Sabbath afternoon, that I'd not thought much about it....  But I was glad to see them for many reasons, the greatest which you will see shortly.

We began making a dinner of homemade pizza, and Tristan volunteered to clear the driveway.  I had called Stoffers and learned that Muad'Dib was on his way home....or rather he had left about 5 minutes ago.  The minutes ticked by.  The Rock showed up, said he had "followed" Muad'Dib up here.  But there was no Muad'Dib....  The Rock went home.  Tristan continued shoveling.

Then, who burst through the door but my Lemur, dressed in only his Sunday clothes, covered head to toe in snow.  His hair and shoulders were wet, he had snow up to his shins and although cold and tired I can safely say he looked absolutely marvelous.  I wish I had taken a picture, for although it will be forever branded on my mind - I wish I could show him how magnificent he was:  the picture of a boy having burst through a rite of passage into young man-hood who now stood aglow and dripping in my kitchen.  Here is the tale he brought me and shared with passionate urgency:

"Mom!  Dad and Rivulet are stuck a street down.  Dad says  he can't come up and can't leave Rivulet.  You need to bring salt and a shovel and come dig them out.  I ran all the way here to tell you that!"

Muad'Dib had apparently made it as far as the street just below us before finally getting stuck, and had tried to get momentum by rocking the car back and forth, but to no avail.  He told Lemur that he had to come get me, to bring the supplies and save them.  Lemur braved the blizzard in sunday shoes with nothing but the shirt on his back.  He says he knew he was cold, but felt warm.  He just kept thinking, "I'm going to get home." 

He was obviously confused by what happened next:  I went to him, with tears in my eyes and gobbled him up in my arms.  "Mom, I'm wet!" he shouted.  "You have to go save Rivulet and Dad!"

Tristan drove down in his magnificent all-wheel Kia and brought Muad'Dib and Rivulet home, and I thank him ever so much.  We were all so grateful that they had come despite the storm, as they offered the kind of help my little van would not have been capable of.  Yet I hope he will forgive me...

Because in my mind it will always be my very handsome, brave and strong Lemur who saved them.