Under the Weather

Literally!

I LOVE the snow. We had a beautiful snowstorm the other day- you know, the kind with beautiful lazy flakes drifting down to softly blanket the dreariness of winter in bright white. Everything looks so fresh and bright after it snows. Sure, the roads are bad at that moment, but if I take it slow things are fine- - and by the next day the roads are cleared. We didn't even get a snow day, which I was hoping for, because they had time to clear the roads overnight. Truly, driving in the snow here is sooo much easier than everywhere else I have lived because there are NO hills whatsoever. I remember the rolling hills of Des Moines Iowa, where our apartment complex was down in a dip- with steep little hills up both directions on our side street (which did NOT get plowed well). Getting up those hills in the winter was truly a bear. Growing up on Spokane- I remember being so frustrated when I had to cancel plans because the residential streets were so clogged with snow- and one particular "friend" which I wanted to see every weekend (ahem) lived up on a forested hill which was totally inaccessible when it snowed. Even Central Washington, though much more mild than Utah, Iowa, or Spokane, got snow and had many hills to drive on in snowy, icy weather. Michigan is a PIECE OF CAKE!!

All in all, I would much rather have the snow than the dreary nothingness, just for the extra light and beauty it gives. The one thing I am having to really adjust to here in Michigan is not seeing the sun. It is very cloudy and dreary all the time, maybe that is why the snow is so welcome. Every once and awhile, the sun will peak out and I feel like I have been in a dark room and can hardly stand the brightness of it.

So, for now, I am enjoying the winter landscape, though it does have its drawbacks. One problem is I do feel cut off from people. I have such a need to connect with other adults, especially women- and although I go to playgroup and book club the last month only a few have shown up. I know this feeling is intensified this week because I haven't left the house much because we have all been a little "under the weather"- nothing more than a few runny noses (mostly Tyler who is also getting more teeth), and some fatigue on my part due to not sleeping well. Jon has been really busy on call this week (still NOTHING compared to CWFM in Yakima), and we all missed church on Sunday. I have had to exercise at home because of Tyler's runny nose (the day care at the gym doesn't allow that). Each morning I groan as my alarm goes off at 7am- - why am I soooo tired! All I want to do is go back to sleep, and sleep until springtime. Either that or just curl up by a fire under a nice warm blanket and read a good book. I feel so unmotivated to do more. I need to get my energy back! I need some human contact! Time to call some friends and have them over for a game night, I think!