Over the Ground Lies a Mantle of White

A heaven of diamonds shine down through the night - two hearts are thrillin' in spite of the chill in the weather. That's how we felt this morning when we woke to a "Winter Wonderland" in southeast Texas. It was amazing - and such a lift of the spirit at Christmastime being far from home. Kendra and Kaitlyn called me to Kaitlyn's room for this view. It was snowing on the way home last night and when I went to bed, but I never expected this! If you want to see more pictures of the snow - check out the December 2008 album by clicking on my "web album" link in the left hand sidebar. Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin'? In the lane snow is glistenin'. A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking in a winter wonderland.

SNOW in Texas!!

I am completely overwhelmed. A package came in the mail today from my friend, Ethel to my Lucy, bringing me snow from WV. Yep - when I say SNOW - I mean more like a blizzard. There was a snow-everything. Snow balls, snowmen, tea with a snow theme, snowball gobstoppers. lollipops that were cherry snow flavored, snowman handsoap, a pez snowman, snowflake candy, snowflakes of every size and description, and an amazingly soft snowflake blanket that I am going to use every day and if anybody else touches it they will pull back a bloody stump be severely reprimanded. She sent me a snowflake goblet and has a matching one like it - so we can drink blackberry wine "together". I also got a big huge snowman mug that says "without you.....I'm a drift". For those of you that don't know what a"drift" is - it means the snow is all blowing all around instead of being a snowman. (Thought I'd clarify it down for you southern folk!) This was just amazing - and i am overwhelmed. I wanted to throw the loose snow all over the house - but I just couldn't let myself do it - so the kids and I went outside and threw it all over ourselves. Nope I don't have make-up on yet and it's 2 pm Texas time! I don't know what I did to deserve it - but the Lord only knows how much I needed that love today!

Christmas Spirit

There is something indeed magical about the snow - the hush as it falls to the ground, muffling the world around as if putting it to bed. But the next day, reality - the shoveling, the snow-blowing, the rocking motion of your car back and forth, back and forth as you try desperately to dislodge it from the frozen driveway, the extra layers of clothing. I am keeping day #2 of snow in mind as I grapple with my winter/Christmas sensory deprivation.
I have decided to embrace the differences in the Texas Christmas season. A big shift in my attitude came today at co-op. We went there early this morning, leaving around 7 am. It was hot and muggy. The humidity was so heavy that the papers I was carrying were damp when I got inside. Ugh. But by this afternoon, after the 4th & 5th grade Christmas party, I took the kids out to the playground while some other suckers moms cleaned up. It was beautiful. Everybody was wearing short sleeves. The temperatures were perfect. All day long I had received gifts from different kids. It was a nice day. Even though it didn't feel like "winter", I definitely felt the Christmas spirit warming my heart.

Butt-cold

I thought moving to Texas would mean that my days of freezing were over - but oh how wrong. In fact, it is actually much colder here than it ever was in WV, except without the snow. It is just so damp that it goes right to your bones. The best expression I can think of to use was coined by my friend, Justin when he slept in only his boxers in the beautiful Rocky Mountains when our youth group was camping overnight - he said he was "butt-cold". Now, I know what that means.
I am so cold in fact that I've been drinking a lot of coffee, lamenting the lack of firewood left from last year's supply, and wearing a lot of excess mismatched clothing, including a red fleece paired with a pink and tan striped scarf, snowflake pants and brown wool socks. My daughters and friends have been teaching me the specialized art of taking pictures of oneself (ie. myspace photos) so I thought I'd give ya a little gander at some of my colorful get up! It may not be pretty but hey I'm warm.
Nobody is used to me lookin' pretty anyway! ha ha
Speaking of snow - check out this cool spot to make your own snowflake. It is awesome. Hat tip to Sandy!

I'm Dreaming of a WHITE Easter????

This has got to be THE weirdest thing I have ever seen! It was so totally unexpected. We went to a "Good Saturday" family get together, and shortly after everyone was assembled, somebody said, "It's snowing!" We had seen a few flurries mixed in with sleety rain on the way there, but of course you know I thought to myself, "This is TEXAS. That is all you're ever gonna see!" Well fool me - because every few minutes my husband was saying, "Julie, come and take a picture of THIS!" The flakes were getting bigger and bigger, and before you knew it the grass was covered, kids were outside in flip flops and capris, grabbing snow off of cars and throwing it at each other. Unreal. There were spring flowers in full bloom - because it has been HOT here. Just yesterday my girls were laying out on a blanket in the sunshine. And today we see this:
This is the only picture I could get of all three of my kids in one spot - and this is before the ground was even white! See all the cutie-patootie native Texans in the background - they threw the door open and the whole crowd of us came in and out watching this in awe and wonder! Good thing my girls turned around at the last minute and went inside to grab their coats when we were leaving the house. I was wearing capri pants, a spring shirt and a lightweight jacket - in total denial. I was freezing! A white Easter? Whoda thunk it?

On another very interesting note, on our way home the neighboring town was hosting a "Dogwood Festival" and they were shooting off fireworks as we came through, so we pulled over to stand in the sleet and watch them! I KNOW that is a first - I've never seen fireworks and snow on the same day!

SNOW: A Love Hate Relationship

My girls, Kendra & Kaitlyn circa Jan '96
My husband called me on his way to work this morning to tell me that all of our friends back in West Virginia were being covered by heavy snowfall. Initially when I hear reports of snow I am jealous. There are some things I love about snow. I love watching the kids bundle up to go and play -making snowmen, snow angels and having snowball fights. I love how silent the world feels as the flakes drift softly to the ground. The world that seems to spin and scream with activity is stilled and muffled under a blanket of white. You feel a sense of awe and wonder, and dare to even whisper for fear of disturbing something sacred. I loved living in the Blue Ridge Mountains on snowy days. It was a day to drink hot chocolate, watch movies, catch up on a good book, make Snow Cream and cook a big pot of soup! Even though we homeschool we typically called school off for at least the first day for the children to enjoy nature's wonderful white playground.
However, there is an ugly side to snow. For about one day it maintains this silent beauty, undisturbed by the pressure to move it aside and return to normal life. The next day, worries come in about the missed income should your husband not be able to get to work. The silence is disturbed by the sounds of snow blowers and salt trucks, and the scrape, scrape, scraping sound of what seems to be a million snow-shovels. The packed snow on the steps has a slight melt off in the daytime, and as it is packed down by the feet of those coming in and out of the house, becomes this thick, immovable block of ice. With a little more melting the tracks of footprints from house to car become a muddy mess, and your house and car wear the tell tale signs that it is winter. I have traveled down icy hills holding my breath as I slid out into oncoming traffic because of a commitment at the community theater, and been more scared than I care to remember traveling down snowy mountain roads on the way home from church.
The truth of the matter is that I love snow - but I can live without it! As much as I might miss it at times, I won' t miss it at all while I enjoy the 71 degree high today where I live!
FYI - the picture above is of my girls, Kendra & Kaitlyn circa Jan '96 - I intend to caption it when I figure out how!!!!