Like a Lion...

at the start of my rudimentary shoveling job.

A very near miss, but it did miss John's red wheels!

hemmed in by the fallen branches, I had to pull forward, then back out to the other side of the driveway so I could free the car of the snowstorm.

When I went to bed last night it was snowing, hard. I even had dreams of school closed for the day (I would have welcomed it, surprisingly). I had dropped my car (4 wheel drive, high riding, gas guzzling blessed Expedition) at the body shop yesterday under blue skies and sunny weather. By dinner I was fish-tailing in John's fancy drive.

During the night it continued to snow.

This morning, at 5, when I got up to work out, I realized most of my strength training would involve a shovel and tons of white powder. I put on some hot chocolate. I did a little exercise. I pestered Mason from sleep so he could be showering for school while I was clearing the driveway so the car could get out.

Some branches had come down during the night. they had fallen, miraculously, all around the car but not on top of it. Tender mercies to be sure. I shoveled and shoveled, and yelled in the house for the kids to get out of bed for school. They made their way in the snow. I cleared the driveway just enough to move the car from under the tree. We got Lucy to ballet.

on our way home, we drove up our old street, to deliver a neighbor's daughter from dance class. After a lovely chat and a keep and our neighbor's amazing home renovation, Lucy was invited to stay. I climbed into John's car, backed out of the driveway, and immediately I was stuck.

I could not believe it. But kind of, I could. I'm no great winter driver, and John's car needs some skill behind the wheel to make it through Utah powder.

An old neighbor saw my predicament and came quickly to my aid. He spent 10 minutes with me, and even recruited another neighbor so we could break the car free of the ice and slush and send it with gravity's aid down the hill. I was so grateful my neighbor had seen me, and had felt the need to help. Tender mercies again imparted.

I've spent the day home, doing laundry and making bread, and enjoying the beauty of bright sun on the snow. This is when my kitchen is most glorious-the sunny day after a snowfall. All that reflection gives me the light I so crave at the Spruces. The sun itself on a day in my house is another tender mercy from Heaven.

The snowstorm came in like a Lion, and was grizzly for me to be sure. But now that it melts under the warm rays of sun it seems to be leaving like a lamb.

Such is the month of March.