It was a cold winter's morning in Coal Valley. Elizabeth slipped out of bed and wrapped a blanket around her. As she looked out the window, she couldn't help but notice the new blanket of snow that covered the fields that surrounded her small row house. She slipped on her shoes and quietly walked downstairs to start the kettle for tea.
After breakfast, she put on her favorite white coat and began her walk to school. She thought of Jack, who was making an early trip out to the settlement. There had been talks that another storm was making its way through Hope Valley, and many feared it would bring about a much harsher winter than they were use to. The town even called a meeting to discuss possible places of shelter for the settlers and those who lived in the outskirts. It was decided that the saloon would become safe havens for these travelers and that school would be let out early this week. Some of the family's in the row houses even offered to take people in, an effort to keep everyone as close to town as possible. Elizabeth agreed considering that it would avoid the children having to walk long distances in the snow.
The one downside to teaching was being the first one there at the schoolhouse without a lit stove. Fortunately, Frank and Jack always made sure that there was plenty of wood within reach for Elizabeth to get. Once Elizabeth lit the stove, she wrote out her lesson on the chalkboard and walked down the center aisle to greet her students. Most of her children came in with chattering teeth, mittens, hats, and snowy winter coats.
"Oh my, I didn't know I would have snowmen for students today. Are you alright?" Elizabeth quickly ran over and started to brush the snow off their coats.
"Just a bit cold Ms. Thatcher. It started to snow on the way over." Luke said.
"Well hopefully, it will stop snowing by the time we are done with our lessons today." As Elizabeth looked out the window she could not help but notice that the snow was coming down harder than usual. Just keep smiling or they'll notice. "Alright students, let's begin today's lesson."
Later in the afternoon, Elizabeth and the children had just finished playing their spelling games time had passed by so quickly that Elizabeth hadn't even looked outside. As the wind howled, a tree branch flew through the window. It certainly sacred many of the younger girls when the glass fell down towards them. Elizabeth rushed over and pushed the branch out the window and shut the shutter. Many of the older boys, ran to the other windows and did the same. After catching her breath, Elizabeth looked around the room and into the eyes of her sacred children.
"Everything will be all right, I am sure your parents will arrive shortly to pick you up but until then we will stay right here where it is warm. Boy's do mind putting more wood in the stove." Elizabeth then turned to the rest of the children, "Since it looks like we will be here a while, let's go ahead and move the desks and play a few games. Does that sound fun?"
"It will be like a campout Ms. Thatcher! Can we build a tent?" as Opal said looking up at her with her beautiful blue eyes. "Unfortunately not, since we do not have a tent….But I am sure we will think of something." Elizabeth then started to move about the room, pushing some of the desks aside so that they could play a few games. She couldn't help but think however that they would be there for a long time….
