It’s a full-on blizzard today, and I couldn’t be happier. We were supposed to be moving into our new house but delayed it yesterday due to the impending storm. Last night, I was incredibly skeptical that we’d actually get any significant snowfall; I have more memories of the weather powers-that-be predicting storms that produced a paltry inch or two than memories of massive snowfalls. But this has been a true winter event: the airport is closed, interstates are closed, buses have shut down, and the world has slowed.

It occurred to me today that there’s probably a little part of me that still wishes I was Laura Ingalls Wilder, toughing it out on the prairie. I love the winter, but I know there are a lot of people here who truly hate the weather, snow in particular. I’ve had many raised eyebrows when making small talk and someone says, “Oh, I bet you miss that California weather!” and I say, “Not really. I missed the winter.” There are also plenty of people who think I’m going to get sick of it really fast, that I’m thinking back on my winter memories with rosy-colored snow goggles. And that may be true.

But here’s what I know is true right at this moment: I feel so alive. Call it cheesy, call it granola, call it whatever you like; I could not get this feeling in California, no matter how hard I tried. Snow demands attention, and when it comes down to it, I kind of love that it’s not easy to live with.

Today we had the idea of trekking the six blocks to our new house in order to shovel the walks in time for the movers tomorrow. We all suited up, but after only half a block, Griffin was not too happy (even though he was hitching a ride in the carrier). I volunteered to head over to the house by myself, and Andrew headed back to the apartment with Griffin. Most of the walks were not shoveled, and the streets had not been plowed, so it was just me, marching through snow, sometimes in drifts up to my hips. I arrived at the house and shoveled. Yes, it was hard work, and yes, it would probably stink if I had to do it every day, and yes, I had a great time. Maybe it was being alone for over two hours, maybe it was the familiar scrape and feel of the shovel, maybe it was the satisfaction of doing something start to finish without being interrupted, maybe it was the quiet stillness that comes with snow. All I know is that there is no place I’d rather be right now, and I’m loving every minute of being back here, smack dab in the middle of winter.