Hooray, We're Alive!!

You know when the last snow finally starts to melt, the little buds are on the trees and the whole world looks like it's shaking winter off and waking up. I think that's what I am beginning to experience, only I'm more like the big fluffy bear that's ending it's hibernation. I haven't eaten in four months, and dang it I want some food.

I'm just getting over some sort of funk that looked like a cross between the flu and bronchitis, but my taste buds are working, I'm starting to smell things again and best of all I don't feel even remotely close to throwing up. The world is a beautiful place and I am embracing it with arms wide open. (granted I am currently heavily medicated, but let's not put a shadow on my little sunshine)

I don't know if national coverage has covered the storms in the Pacific Northwest, but for those of you who don't know, we've had a few doozies out here. We had about a week of snowy blizzards where people had to seriously park their cars on the freeway and just camp until someone could get them out, then it all melted away and we had hurricane force winds for two days. I'm not even kidding. My mom just refers to it as the "night of terror." I think it has a way better ring to it than the nightly news' "storm of the century, again".

If you haven't had the opportunity to visit my parent's home they live out in the forest off a dirt road in the middle of glorious trees. They are long and leafy and make a very picturesque scene when the light comes through them and rests on the lawn. Unfortunately, they also make a terrifying spectacle when swaying around in the gusts of 75mph wind. My parents spent the night, in the pitch black (power was out for days) listening to limbs and, in a couple of cases, whole trees coming crashing down onto their house. Our tallest tree even uprooted and went completely through the roof of their next door neighbor. It's been completely crazy.

My parents are amazing though. I called to see how they were doing and my mom just said how grateful she was that they were safe and warm and didn't have anything to complain about. They've spent the last 4 days hauling trees off the road, cutting them off their houses, and trying to boil water until their water heater would work, but they never complain. Dad digs in, throws on the flannel shirts and gets to play the part of the lumber jack. My mom even called me the next day to see if I needed help with the Ward Christmas Party I was heading up. Nevermind that her house was in complete upheaval, she just wanted to help me out. I doubt I would have done the same.

They inspire me.