The most glorious thing happened Saturday.

I usually hate winter, but I’m caught up in a juxtapositions of feelings that fall has worn out its welcome.

Saturday morning I woke up to whooping and hollering. Taylor flung himself out of bed at admirable speeds (I see where Arrow gets it now), ripped the blinds from the window, calling for the entire county of the USA to look out our individual window. Once I finally got my bearings, I peered over his shoulder in time for him to reverently whisper: Snow!

Okieday.

I’m not even sure how this next bit played out, because the last thing I remember was dozing safely snuggled in my nest of blankets. When I opened my eyes, the kids and I were bundled in coats and gloves fleeing from the man gleefully chucking lumps of snow at our backs. 

Snow brings Taylor more joy than anything else in his life. INCLUDING THE CATS. His joy was overtly contagious, so much so that even my little black winter heart melted. We spent the morning building small armies of snowmen.

That’s when the Californians came out.

Cali friend: HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THE SNOW? Man, I hope it lasts. WOW! Are you guys building snowmen!?
Chaun: Yeah! Come join us!
Cali: Well… I can try…. I guess.

He begins lumping snow into a pile on the ground.
Chaun: Have you ever built a snowman?
Cali: Yeah! Tons of times!
Chaun: Oh…
Cali: But not like that.

He points to the ball I’m rolling
Chaun: Like what?
Cali: Are you ROLLING it?! That is so smart!
Chaun: How else do you build a snowman??
Cali: My brothers and I just used shovels!
Chaun: You did what now?
Cali: Hold on, my wife’s gotta see this.

15 minutes pass…
Cali wife: OMG ARE YOU GUYS BUILDING SNOWMEN?!
Chaun: Yes! Come join us!
Cali wife: Okay!
Cali wife: Are you ROLLING the snow?! I’ve never thought to do that before!
Chaun: Did you ever build snowmen as a kid?
Cali wife: Sure! Plenty of times. I just used a shovel though.
Chaun: What was the shovel for??
Cali wife: Well, we’re headed back inside. Have fun! Hope the snow lasts!

They headed home, and we finished building our snowmen.

Other visitors drove by our wintery construction site. Each of them complimented the work and drove off with an ominous “Well, I hope it lasts! heh heh heh. “

Taylor’s work called him to say they were shutting up shop for the day because “NOBODY COME TO WORK THERE’S AN INCH OF SNOW ON THE GROUND.” followed by a little “hope it lasts!”

This parting remarks troubled, and confused, me. How could the snow not last? Look at this wonderland.

Once the kids went down for their naps, Taylor and I snuggled on the couch to watch the snowfall. We saw, no joke, FIVE cardinal birds flitting through the trees outside our home. I hail from Utah land of the best snow on earth, and this was more magical than I’d ever experienced.

But still the words “hope it lasts!” danced in the back of my brain, feeling like some kind of false cheer. I felt that everyone was in on some exclusive secret, but didn’t have the heart to tell us any differently.

Turns out, the snow didn’t last. Within a few days, the snow was completely gone. This meme made its way through my Facebook.

And so ended the most magical day of the year. 5 cardinals, 4 Jacobs, 3 Californians, (they had their dog), 2 lumpy snowman, and 1 lovely day of snow.