Puddle Jumping

I firmly believe that March is actually the cruelest month. The holidays are long over and the dreary days of winter drag on, while April’s temperamental weather is still to come. Anxious to be outside playing, children climb the walls as the energy they stored up all winter is now about to burst. Anxious to have them outside, mothers exhaust all crafts, all activities, and all patience. The days can feel so long as everyone waits for signs of spring.

Yesterday was one of those typical March days, rainy, dreary, and gray. I think I may finally be convinced of Seasonal Affective Disorder, even if it does make me imagine people yelling at flowers. I decided that since whining about things rarely produces any real results, I’d be proactive* and make some results of my own.

The kids and I headed outside for their first lesson in puddle jumping. My eldest quickly sought mastery, while my son enjoyed the view from a garaged stroller (still a little young to be jumping, let alone walking).

As I watched my daughter delight in nature’s pools and her mother’s caprice, I began to think about how many occasions have us hoping for a warm, sunny day. Weddings, birthday parties, ballgames, and trips to the beach all work best when the weather cooperates, but today was a day for a rain. And, yes, that means it’s time for a list of all the things that have us hoping for rain:

The Best Reasons to Hope For Rain:

1) Puddle jumping (obviously)
2) It provides a good excuse to stay in our pajamas most of the day
3) To make watching a scary movie complete
4) Food is good
5) A chance to show that thunder isn’t scary at all, especially when we count from the lightning
6) When we were having a bad hair day anyway
7) The perfect backdrop for reading a book
8) When we hope to show them a rainbow for the very first time
9) Because nothing is cuter than a kid donning raincoats, boots, and a ladybug umbrella.
10) Provides further procrastination for washing the car
11) Much like cancelled school on a snow day, the occasional cancellation of soccer practice gives us an unexpected chance to take some time off from carpool duties.
12) It lets us skip watering the plants and lawn.
13) Reminds us that, despite being a pretty great city, we don’t envy people of Seattle’s typical weather forecast.
14) The soporific effect: nothing ensures a better nap than the gentle tapping of rain and dark clouds