Oh, for snow

Yesterday, it rained.

Today it rained.

I officially miss the weather of the Midwest.

Not so long ago, I was posting status on Facebook, smugly reporting sixty-some-odd degree temperatures and worriedly wondering about road trip conditions...storms of ice, layers of snow, etc.

And now I pine for exactly those things.

Okay, so maybe not for icy roads, 'cause hey, unless you're in a parking lot with a boy who's got an e-brake at the ready, it's just not a good time. But seriously, this semi-cold, wet-all-the-time weather has got me down. Maybe it's because I'm three days into being home from two weeks in two states that have real winter. Maybe it's because this is my second winter in what I now know is a Southern state and it's settling in that snow is really the exception, not a rule. Maybe it's because I didn't so much unpack all the snow gear, so much as take it out of one bag and put it right into Rubbermaid storage.

Blah, blah, blah - Tara's still acclimating to living in Virginia.

Anyway, for as long as we got to be in it, our little family *loved* the snow. We arrived in Minnesota amidst a snow storm, and though tense (for driver Kurty), it was breathtaking. As we drove North from Illinois into Wisconsin (we did a straight west, straight north route, avoiding the feet of Lake-effect snow) things just gradually got whiter. I stopped short of pulling the cord on the DVD player (because anarchy = bad, 20 hours into a trip) but I was all, "Girls! Look at how pretty the trees are! Look at all the snow!" I had never seen the bluffs between Lacrosse and Rochester, and in those conditions, they were absolutely stunning.

It wasn't long before Kurt had the girls out in the snow. Naomi was a bit unsure of the hip-high whiteness and never lasted long, but Olaiya was in. And seeing the Papi playing with his girl in his native tundra will be a long-remembered highlight for this mama. With his snow-caked jeans and seemingly impervious-to-cold face and flesh, I feel like I've never seen him more in his own skin. Maybe Olaiya sensed it too. She never got cold, never got whiny and always wanted to stay out with Dad as long as possible. Daddy got to impart to her the age-old art of snow fort building, toss her in unblemished snow for angel-making, and take both his girls zipping down a hill.

All I can say - and I did, about five minutes into being outside at Steve and Linda's - it's a different world here.

Suit up.


Intro to Snow

(That's Uncle Nate zooming after Olaiya...and Zach and Naomi in their personal warming vans.)