A Moment in Time by Denise Wenger

It was a beautiful sunny morning when the kids said, “ Mom, we want to go outside to sled and build a snowman”. The temperature was edging toward freezing from the fresh 12” powder that laid on the ground from the furious night before.


Arugh! Hats, gloves, boots, snowsuits, jackets and overalls; such a hassle to put on, I had to get the bread punched down so it could rise in time to cook for dinner, and I knew the children would inevitable be back inside in just 5 MINUTES! And then 5 MINUTES later they’d want to go out again… But they looked so cute in all that gear, all wrapped up so they could barley walk.

Shawn was dressed 1st as he was the oldest , and out the door he went like a flash of lightning. “I’ll see you outside, Branden,” Shawn said as he hurried outside to get the sled. Branden could hardly contain himself as he couldn’t wait to wear those wonderful big boy gloves he finally grew into. They had five fingers! But they just wouldn’t go on fast enough.

“Sit still, Branden” I said as I was trying to fit (those not so) wonderful gloves on his wriggling fingers. Augh!

I was glad that it was taking him so long to get dressed as I was able to steal secret hugs and kisses as it was hard for Shawn to see this as it made him feel a little less loved since Branden came to stay with us. You see, Shawn was never a cuddlier, but Branden was… so was I. How warm and fuzzy it felt snuggling him as I prepared him to go out with big brother.

You could not ask for a better big brother always showing little brother how to do things a 4year old could do.

It was amazing watching those two grow and interact with each other. Sometimes the sibling rivalry would get the best of them but I learned the year before, during Branden’s 1st birthday, that as long as I made Shawn feel special ( bought him a little something too) on his brother’s birthday that it would relieve some of the pressure. From that time on I tried to always do this for each of the children, even when Jessica was born.

Shawn was 4 ¾ yrs old. Branden was only 16 months old and as cuddlier as ever. So as I was stealing my last snuggle before Shawn’s impatience grew I remember thinking. Now I understand how my Mom felt. She used to tell me as a child that she would give her life up for mine. That intense feeling overwhelmed me at that very moment while enjoying my last hug before Branden was out the door, playing in the snow, with big brother, and wearing his big boy gloves.





Happy Birthday Branden !