An Interesting Start to an Interesting Week

It's finals time. Which means I will be hiding behind my computer for the next three weeks straight as I finish four papers, prepare a presentation, read and translate until my eyes fall out. Over the long holiday weekend I was sure to get lots of rest to prepare for the monster sized amount of work needing to be done.

My neighbors rock.

1. It snowed for almost 24 hours straight. One neighbor from the house next door used his snowblower to clear our driveway and sidewalk. Twice.
2. We live in a cul-de-sac, so we are the last road plowed, if we get plowed at all. I drive a regular small 4-door, who decided to not have enough guts to get me out of my own driveway this morning. As soon as I hit the unplowed street, I was stuck. After rocking back and forth a few times burning gas, I went to get a shovel to dig myself out. My 8-year old neighbor came walking over with his own shovel and said "I've been waiting for someone to get stuck! I love this stuff." and he started digging me out. His Dad came over a few minutes later and after getting me back up the driveway, was able to get my car down the street. 

I called my Mom when I got up to school to tell her about my morning and she immediately said "Do you have my parking tag?" *sigh* Yes. It was still in my car. So I hurried to her work to give it to her.

Also, if you are complaining about the snow on the ground, I recommend trying out this new dance step. It's called the One Legged Slide. You wear your every-day shoes and it is best done on snow covered ice. I do recommend wearing a nice puffy coat, in case you should fail in this step. With practice, you will be able to do this slide without hitting the ground, which so far I have been successful.

Happy Snow Season.

Small Mercy.

Yesterday at church the power was out in most of the building. I am unsure how the light in the Elder's Quorum room and two of the lights at the back of the chapel were on, and the rest were off, but eventually they all went off. Luckily it was warm in the building, probably from earlier that day and the power decided to fail for my ward. Whatever happened exactly, the power stayed off through Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School. I was filling in for a teacher in Relief Society (the women's meeting) and had planned to play a song at the end of the lesson. But, it's kind of hard to use speakers that need power from a plug...if the plugs don't work. Just before the meeting started I closed my eyes and prayed to God that the power would come on in time to play the song.

Not five minutes later, there was a *ding* from the elevator and someone said "sounds like the power is on", so they flipped the light switches. Light. Electricity.

A coincidence? I think not.

I am grateful for...

Warm clothing. I am lucky to have more than one coat to choose from, scarves, tall socks, hats, etc. etc. I'm not a fan of feeling the cold so most of the time I overdress. It was a particularly chilly day with no sun today, and I was sufficiently covered and comfortable. It is a huge blessing to always be comfortable in any situation, never lacking. Thank you Lord.

I am grateful for...

Hot water. Today as I walked into the locker room on campus to change for yoga, I noticed a sign posted near the door. "No hot water until further notice." No big deal, I had showered in cold water there in the summer, and the locker room is kept warm enough that it's not so bad, you just clean yourself a lot quicker. After class as I walked towards a shower I heard the girl in charge of the locker room ask a girl who was currently in the shower, "Are you getting any hot water?" and the girl said "Yes!" I still was wary of getting in, wondering if it would be a short blast of warm. But, it was all warm water. Ah, what a blessing!