My Two Writing Teachers colleagues and I are hosting the 13th Annual March Slice of Life Story Challenge, in which hundreds of teachers participate in posting a story per day.
Dear Kids,
Did you know that I keep a calendar of my ski days? Today I marked Day 63 for this season, can you believe it? That might be the most days I’ve skied in one season since I was a ski instructor many years ago.
Some people only count a day if they take at least three runs. Personally, I count it as a day if I hiked up the mountain just to get one run, or if I rode the lift for three runs. I think hiking the mountain to do any amount of skiing should count as a day.
A lot of my 63 days so far this year are days that I skinned the mountain early in the morning or after work just to ski one run. I do this because I like being outside in winter. I love being in the snow and fresh air, and it’s always beautiful. Even when it’s cold and gray and windy. Even at night when it’s dark. Even when it’s raining a little, or below zero. I’d rather be skinning up the mountain than at the gym any day. Without a doubt.
A lot of my 63 days so far this year are also days spent skiing with either or both of you. Those are my favorite days, of course. You have each grown so much this year as skiers! Lily, you are absolutely shredding now, taking air off of jumps and small drop-offs, and you are so fast in the woods now that it scares me. Jackson, over the past two weeks it is as if a switch has flipped and you went overnight from pizza turns to full-on carving your turns and flying off every jump in sight.
If I’m being honest, a handful of my 63 days so far this year weren’t the best. There were days when I was recovering from the two wrist surgeries I had this winter. I went skiing, even when I still had fresh stitches from surgery because I couldn’t stand staying at home on a beautiful day. You don’t need hands to ski - but skiing when you’re injured is different than regular skiing. And there were a few times I probably should have been allowing my wrists to heal instead of climbing and skiing.
For many people, the ski season is almost over. Lily just has a few more weeks of Freeski Team left, and Jackson’s group had their last session this week. The days are getting longer and the temperature is warming up a bit, which means the snow can’t last forever. But your dad and I are not most people. We will keep on climbing up the mountain as long as there’s snow, and usually, that’s into mid-May around here. I’m hoping we’ll even get the two of you to climb a trail or two once the lifts have stopped spinning.
Love,
Your Mom