January 30th

 

On a day when one's husband needs to make an afternoon trip to Pittsburgh, one should convince him to take the entire day off and go to the zoo in the morning.

It was seventeen degrees when we arrived to find that two of our party didn't have gloves. But that was forgotten when we got to see the snow leopard up close and the tiger walking about and watch his giant paws move him closer and closer to us. And when we stood outside the elephant enclosure and she came over to the glass, we realized just how big they were!

We spent an hour in the primate house and another in the aquarium and even more time looking at the reptiles and admiring the bats.

The best part of going to the zoo when it is seventeen degrees is that there is time

time to admire

time to laugh

time to count

time to watch

time to think 

time to ask

time to answer.

Usually this zoo is packed to the gills, but today we were one of only a few families. Instead of spending my time teaching my children how to behave in a crowd, we were able to talk and learn about God's handiwork. Next year we'll add long underwear, sweaters and a proper glove count to our supply list, and go again.

Yep, we've become the family that goes to the zoo in the middle of the winter. That family time is too good to pass up.