Snow . . . . Snow . . . . Snow!!!!!

So, lately my life has been revolving around the snow. Mainly because work has been really slow and I've been bored and also because almost everything about snow is fun. Seeing my new house covered in snow - fun . . . . getting to wear jeans and snow boots to work - fun . . . . getting snowed in and having to miss work - really fun. Now, I would be lying if I didn't admit there were some un-fun things about snow. Shoveling the driveway of my new house - un-fun . . . . long car trips over mountain passes in snow - un-fun . . . . making a trip to Seattle for the annual "Tacky Christmas Sweater Party" only to have it cancelled - really un-fun! But all these un-fun things can be redeemed. I had my friend Meredith come over and help me shovel my driveway. I listened to a slightly scandalous book on tape during my snowy drive which kept me entertained. I hung out with my good friends, Becca and Keisha, and ate all our yummy party food while we sat snowed in and partyless on Saturday night.

Speaking of party food! I created the most amazing cheese-ball in the shape of a snowman! It was sort of an accident. I scooping out my cheese ball and it lumped into a rough snowman shape and my slightly unconventional imagination went wild. My sister, Nancy, helped me make the face out of pepper corns and a cheddar cheese nose and we added a wrapping ribbon scarf as a final touch!

Of course, this little guy was going to be the hit of the party . . . too bad we got a call a half hour before the party from the host letting us know that most people were sliding down the steep hill to the house and suggesting we should just stay home! Darn it! Oh well, Becca and Keisha and I devoured my little friend!

As I mentioned, I got a ton of snow at my little house over the past couple of weeks. I was all excited about shoveling snow - I thought it would be great exercise - well, it is good exercise but totally boring! Plus I couldn't even buy a shovel, they were out everywhere, so I have to keep borrowing my neighbor's shovel. Luckily, my hand-me-down friend, Meredith, had a shovel too so she came over and together we made a good dent in the 14 inches of snow at my house.

I know you are probably wondering why Meredith is my "hand-me-down" friend. Well, Meredith is a super-close friend of my cousin Kristy in Tacoma. Meredith got recruited to work at the lab about a month before me so when I arrived I had a little email in my inbox asking if I was "Kristine's Cousin" - we've been fast friends ever since. Together, we have decorated our houses, redecorated our houses for Christmas, discovered the joys of the Columbia Valley wine country, carpooled to Bible Study, and spent countless hours watching way too much junk TV.

I am consistently amazed at how God provides for us before we even have a chance know what we need!

So, what I'm really pondering on this Christmas-eve-eve . . . . why did I find a shoe shoveling off the sidewalk in front of my house?

Somewhere, someone has a very cold foot!