The Almost Break Up

    This isn't about a Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn or some other depressing movie. No, this is about me being in a relationship that isn't going so well. I'm not usually very good about opening up and being honest with my feelings. But I'm working on that. And I'm going to be honest tonight.

    You see, in the beginning he was magical, but then I was also so... young. And now that I've known him longer, and I'm older, I know him better.
    Sometimes he can be cold, and sometimes he turns to ice, and that's when he's most dangerous. A couple times he has made me lose control, and it has taken me awhile to dig myself out, and sometimes it has cost me.
    His name is Jack.
    Jack Frost.

    I used to love Snow and all the things that came along with it. I love skating and snowshoeing and building snowmen. I love hot cocoa, Christmas movies, and Christmas shopping. I love the lights and snowboarding and snowball fights. I love Christmas. I love the winter wonderland. I love boots and layers and scarves and mittens and sleigh rides. I love Santa and Jesus and Mary and Joseph. This is my favorite time of year... until this year.

Snow came early! Like four weeks early!!!

    The last snow storm of last winter, I totaled my car. So I went Dave Ramsey and bought a cheap car so I could take the bulk of the insurance settlement to pay off my debt.
And that worked out perfectly until the snow came.

 I was driving home from work the other day at 7:00 am (no, we typically don't do shoots at 7:00 am, but I have a full time job as well) and the roads sucked.

    Honestly, I was going between 15-20 MPH. That was what I was comfortable with. I had a long line of cars behind me, and yes, I am the driver you yell at when you're on your way to work in the morning.
    One of my windshield wipers broke so I was driving with one windshield wiper. About 10 minutes from home, my heater stops working. Three minutes later and it was a white out. I can't see a thing.
    I decide to pull over and a huge line of cars pass me. Maturely, I punch my steering wheel Normally the horn would go off except that's broken too.
    I get out of the car and start clearing off my windshield, get back in and pray to God to make the heater work because after working sixteen hours at work, all I want to do is get in bed and crash.
    Finally the snow lightens a bit. My heater starts working, and I can finish driving home. I get to my driveway and its not plowed. So I barrel into the driveway only to make it about six feet in and come to a complete standstill. My tires spin frantically. I'm stuck.
    Of course, I'm stuck.
    It was then, as I made the trek to the house in the new snow, so high that it topples over the top of my boots and packs down around my socks, I decided I needed to break up with snow.  I told snow we are over. No longer will  I be treated this abusively.
    My brother comes out of the house and asks me "why do we live here.
    I tell him "I don't know...."

    The next day, I go on a walk. The snow is falling lightly, the trees covered just so, the sun lowers in the sky bringing warmth. Everywhere I look its beautiful and pure. Snow it trying to make up with me, and its working. Curse you, Snow!!

    So, I guess its safe to announce that, thanks to the abusive relationship I'm currently in with Mr. Frost,  the studio has to wait until next year. I'm bummed, but that's life.

    We don't stay in the U.P. for horrible driving conditions, shoveling, cold, and the wet socks.
We stay because we're adults most times, and we know that nothing is ever perfect, but there are perfect moments and snow can help make them happen.
We stay because we love snow and all the things that came along with it. We love skating and snowshoeing and building snowmen. We love hot cocoa, Christmas movies, and Christmas shopping. We love the lights and snowboarding and snowball fights. We love Christmas; we love the winter wonderland. We love boots and layers and scarves and mittens and sleigh rides. We love Santa and Jesus and Mary and Joseph.
    We love this time of year!