Let it snow let it snow let it snow

While I'm not a huge fan of the snow (I'm a super lousy skier and even worse snowboarder) and therefore am very happy that I live in Arizona, there are times of the year that I miss it. This is one of those times. I miss looking up from my front drive into the mountains, seeing the deer climbing down the ravines to the foothills, in search of some food. I miss waking up in the morning and going outside to shovel and build snow forts out of the 4 foot snow banks that the city plows left for us in front of our driveway. I miss driving in the snow (just a little). I miss ramming snow banks in Dave's yellow truck, spinning out on the road in our 82 honda civic. I miss the thousand plus time driving up Springville's Center Street, wondering if I would make it the whole way, or have to park somewhere below and hike the rest of the way up. I miss pulling inner tubes behind Josh's car in the high school parking lot (even though Will almost died). I miss BIZZING (I don't think I've even said that word for 10 years)!! I miss Snow Football and Snow ball fights. Sledding up left hand fork in Hobble Creek Canyon, or tubing down the Marriott Center lawn. But most of all, I miss waking up super early on Christmas morning, while it's still dark, and creeping into my living room, seeing the Christmas tree lit up and the reflection glowing in all of the large plate glass windows. Outside I can see the city sleeping, with the twinkling of lights under a blanket of fresh snow. There is something peaceful about snow. Much like watching the sunset on an ocean beach, with the crashing of the tides as your soundtrack or the roaring of a campfire beneath a star-filled night; there is a calming essence when you can look out on a fresh fallen snow from inside a warm house. Perhaps a cup of peppermint hot cocoa in your hands. These are some of the memories I am recalling as I ponder here this wonderful Christmas Eve Night. No matter where life takes us, we're never far from memories of family and friends...and home.