Oh, so thankful!

Yesterday they were predicting a seven-year storm...  Since it hasn't been seven years since the storm that left my children alone on the mountain, and tens of other children sleeping at the elementary school, I expected that this would be an even bigger storm.  Hard to imagine... 

I dropped my kids off at school yesterday morning and pondered the oncoming blizzard.  Since we are temporarily living across town from the schools, I needed to be sure to plan for road conditions.  My plan was to have everyone home in time to enjoy hot chocolate from the warmth of grandma's kitchen.

On my return drive, I was reminded of what I might have been anticipating if we were still living on the hilltop.  The road crew was delivering Road Closed signs.  There were large barricades, signs, flashing lights, and bright orange cones...  And that was when I was hit full-force with gratitude.  As much as I loved the valley, mountain, and lake views from my former home, I won't miss hiking in from the road.  I won't miss unrelenting cabin-fever created by impassible drifts.  And I won't miss the feeling of living in a house that clings to a mountainside while the winds tries mercilessly to blow it off its perch.

There is something really comforting about being nestled into a neighborhood with people in the surrounding houses.  I think I'm gonna love neighborhood-living!  And I'm happy to report that we did indeed get home safe and sound.  And the cocoa was lovely...