... the snow ...

I just finished up a nice warm bubble bath, glass of raspberry honeywine, listening to some OneRepublic Slacker Radio on the BlackBerry.  I told myself I wouldn't "blog" unless I had something I really wanted to write down.  While relaxing in the bath, thinking about the layer of snow settling in on our home, so many memories came racing back to me.  Of course the snow always reminds me of my best friend Tarra... my ski instructor love. =)  Remembering that first snowfall in October of 03, our first full winter in Utah.  Jacob throwing snowballs at our window.  Tarra and I had just finished up an ORE, which was cut short due to the downfall.  Tarra calls me to come into her room right after I get out of the shower, so there I go running to see what fool is throwing snowballs at our window (yey to my future husband), don't notice Tarra's open drawer, and nearly take off my leg from the knee down!  Flying across the room in nothing but a towel, I didn't realize how funny it would be looking back.

I remember the blizzards that I always seemed to get stuck in on the I-15.  I was never one for the weather channel!  Jake and I driving in Tarra's truck out to Hooters the day after Christmas, insulting all the idiots risking their lives to catch the sales that were going on.  I guess lunch at Hooters was an acceptable outing to die for!  Or the time I dropped Jacob off at the airport on Christmas morning in the rain... which turned into a full on blizzard on the way home, forcing me to shop at Walgreens for an hour on Christmas morning (making Walgreens one of my favorites, just for being their in a girls time of need!)  Or the night we went to visit Ariel & Mirsayah in the hospital, just a day old.  After leaving the happy mom and daughter for the night I drove out to SLC with Tarra and Jake, left at 2 in the morning, and again... a blizzard!

I remember all the silly arguments over who should shovel snow, who out ranked who!  Trying, and failing, at house training 3lb Nala in January.  Ana and I debating over whose car was more reliable... her Sentra or my Corolla... in 3 ft of snow to drive to Betos to split some carne asada fries.

How could I forget poor Smitty trying to teach my clumsy behind how to ski!  Meanwhile, Lee was a pro his first time snowboarding on the "best snow on Earth".

I remember so many funerals that we did honor guard details for, keeping our bearing in the snow.  I'll never forget my first funeral.  The widow must have been in her 80s and the funeral director asked her if she'd like to wait inside and get out of the snow, to which she replied "no, I'm going to stay out here with my boys in blue".  There was nothing more rewarding than Honor Guard.

All those times we tried to look cute, going out in the snow!  Wearing some adorable, nonsensical, shoes... but it was very necessary.  Waking up at 4:45am wondering if Lydia may consider the snow a good reason not to go to the gym... NEVER!  We made sure we both stuck to our routine.

It was snowing outside when Danica was born.  I remember spending the nights at McKay Dee, the room was on the 5th floor or so, and I never closed the curtains.  I would lay there in my bed with the little Miss asleep next to me, just watching the snow fall.

The last few nights we spent in Utah it was snowing.  I remember standing outside our billeting room to take a picture after the Holiday party.  We drove my mum to the airport, and the snow didn't stop a long hug goodbye.  The night of my going away at Tona a blizzard hit.  Instead of spending the time with my ladies, Jacob and I admired the Great Salt Lake and the lights of SLC talking about how much we would miss it.  Little did we know, we would drive through angry horizontal blowing snow the whole way through Wyoming!  The scenery of South Dakota covered in snow was so welcoming after the nothingness of Wyo Roads!!

Wow!  The snow days in South Dakota have been plentiful and unlike anything we experience in Utah. We closed on our home in the middle of two angry blizzards!  We made sure we went back to the pretty snow last year though, and bundled up to walk around the Gateway, under the scene of the snow capped Wasatch.  Again, to drive across Wyoming in the snowy weather back to South Dakota.

While, once upon a time, the snow was such a pest.  Something I had to live with and could most certainly live without... I can't imagine life without it now.  I never see myself voluntarily living somewhere that doesn't snow in the wintertime.  The snow makes so many things just that much better... Target, Starbucks, Football Sundays... all much better when it's snowing outside.  Tarra would be so proud of me!