3:1

I think I'm the luckiest sister in the world. I don't just have one or two sisters but I have three of the most gorgeous sisters in the world. We like to keep things in balance. In fact, we have a good 3 to 1 trend most of the time.

1 lives in Texas; 3 live in Georgia.

3 wear corrective lenses of some sort; 1 has perfect vision.

1 is a teenager; 3 have graduated to the 20s or 30s.

3 are in relationships; 1 is single.

1 is a tomboy; 3 are various stages of girly girls.

3 own cars; 1 just got her license.

3 were ready for this picture; 1 was caught off guard.

1 will probably die tonight when another sister realizes this picture was posted.

The Answer is Blowing in the Wind

*

We had quite a surprise this weekend. Athens received 6 inches of snow. I realize this isn’t much for those that live in snow country, but understand that this is the first time I’ve seen snow since moving here in 2005. It just doesn’t snow in Georgia. Especially not half a foot!

The snow was beautiful. It was refreshing.

It blanketed everything with a perfectly white cover. It was wonderful. It did make driving a bit difficult. ...and it was also heavy. The snow weighed down branches causing full grown limbs to snap like toothpicks. Entire trees blocked roads or fell on roofs. Most of the city lost power for a day.
This confused me. I lived in Utah for 8 years. It always snowed yet this level of damage never occurred. What was the difference? I decided since the trees in Utah face snow each year, their branches grow stronger to withstand the weight and harsh weather conditions. I realize different types of trees grow out west and it's obvious why. I thought of life. How is it that situations can affect people so differently? How is it that one person can handle pressure from life where another person buckles and breaks? The answer is with the trees. The trees that grow where the weather is harsh are stronger. The trees that grow where the weather is usually nice and fair grow but never have to prove their strength. People face storms that will test their very character whether they are ready or not. It's these life storms that show how strong a person really is.

There are days when I feel weighted down and broken like the tree,
and there are other days I choose to see the beauty in the storm. Thank you, Mother Nature, for the snow. And thank you, God, for the storms.

(I don't know who these people are. And don't make fun of Southerners. When it snows, we have to use whatever we have as sleds.)

* My camera is MIA right now. I did NOT take any of these pictures. All are courtesy of Mama Mia, a neighbor, and a coworker.