"Where for art thou spring?"

Well, Punxatawney Phil seriously disappointed me this week. I am still annoyed that he saw his shadow even though there was a thick cloud cover tuesday morning in the small town in PA.

THe first snowstorm in December that dumped around 15 in of the white fluffy stuff on us was rather....dare I say....FUN. It was Christmas, we didn't really have to be anywhere, and it was JUST snow...made the season festive.

Snowstorm number two was bearable. Pretty. We were fine, warm, able to get out and about...our nice neighbor plowed our road with his 4 wheeler so we could get in and out of our driveway. We were even able to get out and celebrate my MOm's birthday dinner at Red Lobster, went shopping at the stores that were open, and got a 10 pd bag of birdseed to feed the little birds that were hovering on our front porch trying to get out of the elements. We were fine.

Snow/ice storm number three, well, started to get a little annoying...HAVING to be at work made it tricky...and well, driving in the slush is almost impossible. Even with a 4 wheel drive. Dreary, Wet, soppy, and ugly...but we managed.

I woke up this morning to yet another layer of fresh snow, that is over a layer of ice, that is on top of a layer of snow...it is like the Lord is building a 7 layer salad of sorts. I do admit that it is beautiful. I feel a bit like I live in a snowglobe. Especially at our house. However even the trees are weary from the weather as they bend and lean all over the house to get some rest from the heaviness of the snow and ice. It weighs on us all.

The long winter this year has reminded me again of the highs and lows, the seasons. Sometimes you can go through an entire year without realizing the seasons are changing. It is subtle. But there are times when the seasons come and go in a grand production. Like this year.
Life is often that way. Sometimes changes happen in our life; we change; subtly. But there are other times where the storms are hard and fast and deep and long. And we change not because we are willingly doing so, but more so that we are forced to adjust suddenly.

I find myself longing for the sunshine. For the ability to swing in the hammock on a sunday afternoon, reading a book and enjoying the warm breeze. To be able to put the leash on Roxy and take a walk down the road. TO drive through the mountains on the weekend with the top off the Jeep.

As I dream about the appearence of Spring, I have to sit here and think, If the winter hadn't been so long this year, I wouldn't be as grateful as the sweetness of what I know the spring holds.
May the blows and storms of your life allow you to be ever that much more grateful for the sweet calms.

For now, I sit here by my fire, with my cup of coffee...grateful for power and anticipating what lies ahead.