Snow and Other Things

Jess: So, as some of you may know, after going almost all of the end of 2010 with no snow, we have now had probably close to two feet of snow since the day after Christmas. This makes Wes very happy, because Wes grew up in Texas, Hawaii, and Guam, and has never really experienced snow. For Wes, snow is a wonderful, beautiful thing that makes the world look magical.

I, on the other hand, have been completely ruined by all the snow I had to shovel, drive through, miss fun events for, etc throughout the first 18 years of my life. Snow means the car is so cold I shiver for the first 10 minutes of every drive. Snow means I might have trouble getting to work (I didn't care so much when it meant missing school, though). Snow means spending hours shoveling the driveway only to have more snow blow on it. Basically, I'm a snow cynic.

I have to say, though, that seeing Wes in the snow has made it an entirely new experience for me. Sure, I can't forget all of the times my car fishtails, the driveway is invisible, or I miss out on making money because of snow (not to mention almost getting buried in snow by a plow while I was driving yesterday). But seeing Wes practically jump up and down with excitement at the first flake of snow reminds me of something important: snow is part of creation--God's creation. So snow IS magical, wonderful, and beautiful. Just because we have become completely dependent on our cars and our ability to make money doesn't mean snow is any less magical or beautiful. I can look at it with fresh eyes again. And if we ever bother to buy some snow boots, pants, jackets, etc, I'll be right out there jumping in it with Wes. I'll probably also eat some, because it's delicious.

On a completely different note, Wes and I are both making a great effort to be healthier in 2011. My dad got us a Wii Fit for Christmas, which has been invaluable because of all the snow. We both love it--especially the exercises where we can watch TV while working out. In addition, we've made a pact to not eat any sugary foods (a pretty loose term, but basically no candy, cookies, etc) or drink any alcohol for this week. I've found that making goals for a week makes them pretty simple to achieve. By the time you get to the point where you're really craving whatever it is you gave up, you're already halfway there. We're also hoping that doing so will tone down our bodies' desire for such foods, and we can focus on healthier foods even after the week ends. Next week, we're going to cut down on our TV watching, and the week after that (if I can convince Wes), we're going to give up coffee and soda. We'll see how it goes, but I'm pretty happy with the results on the scale so far!

Wes:
We are so not giving up coffee and soda. Just. Not. Happening.

But hey! It's snowed so much! I'm absolutely loving this! I mean, it is such a magical sight when the world is dressed in white. By the way, that's a line from the second Frosty the Snow Man movie. It makes me happy, so I repeat it to Jess every time we go outside and see the world covered in a blanket of awesomeness. The snow is cold, it is crisp, it is pretty, it is fun, and it looks super cool. Also, everyone looks really cool dressed in heavy coats and and scarves. I like it.

I will say that I am very blessed that our neighbor owns a lawn a plow service and that he takes care of our driveway for us. I've only had to shovel once, and it wasn't one of the bad ones that we've had either. It's been awesome being able to enjoy the perks of this winter wonderland and not having to deal with the set-backs of it. I can very easily deal with the salt on the roads (and on our car) and with the knowledge that at some point all of the snow becomes slush. I am just loving the moment: everything is clear, everything is beautiful, and everything is magical. I love it. Also, stomping into the snow like a monster and leaving really deep footprints is really, really fun. The only thing left to do is to make a snowman. I've always wanted to do it, but I've never been able to. Also, a snow fort. Or an igloo. But that's later when I have lots of people to help. Really just two or three people. Or one or two really excited and energetic people. Maybe just me...

So here's the deal with this whole getting fit thing: I've never made a New Year's resolution before. I've always thought they were kinda silly and most people give up on them after a month anyways. So I tend to make my goals away from the New Year, thinking to myself that I might have a better chance to keep them. This sometimes works and sometimes does not. But I decided to live vicariously through Jess' resolutions this year, and getting fit is one of them. I've been using the Wii Fit every day, and am trying to lose some weight and be healthier. I feel a lot better, and definitely would not mind dropping a few pounds.

Also, I'm taking a Methodist Polity class for my short-term this semester. I'm enjoying reading about the inner-workings of the church, and I am excited about being better equipped to change the things in the church that need changing. It is a lot of reading, though. Like, 500 pages a day. Tends to be a little much.

Well, that's all! We hope that you have a wonderful week, and enjoy the weather wherever you're at, especially if there's snow involved!

You stay classy, World Wide Web!


-Jess and Wes