When will it end?

I have been accused of being over-dramatic. Overly emotional.
These are true attributes, I must admit.
But, guys.










Let me tell you a true story.
The other night, I was at a meeting with a group of gals I don't really know, and several I have never even met. I was tired, because the meeting was at 7:30pm, and that isn't usually a time I leave the house to begin a 2 hour meeting.
I have to admit that I was a little over the frigid temperatures, and that I had been cooped up for days. I was frustrated that with every turn, the weather seemed to be getting colder and colder, almost,  inhospitable.
I was frustrated that everyone kept saying this was "abnormal" weather. Why, must I ask, does the weather always do "abnormal" things, when we move to a new place? Why?
But I digress.
I was on my way out to the meeting, and already frustrated, and also, I was freezing (but that is a given), and I was anxious about driving in 6 inches of snow, and icy roads. At night.
I don't even like to drive at night when it is perfectly dry out.
I also don't like to drive to new places, in new cities, when I have no idea where I am going.
At night.
In the snow.
In the middle of the week.
When I am tired.

As you can see, I wasn't in the best head space to start out. I recognize this. I own it.
But what happened at the meeting, this meeting with ladies I didn't know, was just straight up embarrassing.

We were having a fine round table discussion about plans for our girls troop (American Heritage Girls) and what the rest of the year would look like. We started talking about Mother's Day, and what kind of mother daughter tea we could do.  I had such lovely visions in my head of Spring, and Mother's Day, and my angelic children frolicking through the tall prairie grass, barefoot. Birds chirping.
I am sure I was in a day dream, trying to block out the mental images of my ride over to the house (2 cars turned the wrong way on the road, solo car spin out people!) and was still trying to warm my frozen fingers (because I forgot that you should really wear gloves when you drive in negative 15 degree weather at night. I could see my breath in the car the whole ride over! Even with the heater on).
So, I was happily in this day dream, when a certain little phrase snapped me out of it.
"Frost in May."
We were talking about planting flowers with our girls, and someone said "Do you think the frost will be gone by mid-May?"
I don't know what came over me.
I was not among my best friends. Friends who know me to the core, and understand my inner workings.
I was not sitting with my husband at night, sipping tea, and spilling my soul.
That would have been more understandable. Those people know I am semi-sane. 
I was sitting among strangers.
But I couldn't control myself. The words just came out.
Me-"Did you say frost in May?"
Stranger/New friend- "Yes. Ha Ha. Poor you. You know what frost is, right?"(With the joking implication that a silly beach girl would, like, totally not even know what frost is dude.)
Me -" Yes, I know. But why did you say frost in May? We will still have frost in May?"
Crazy images started running through my head. I had to run back to my day dream, try to catch my children, and get some warm boots on their bare feet. Tell them to stop running through the frost bitten prairie grass.
 In May.
I can't explain why it happened, but my face flushed red, and tears just started running down my face. I couldn't stop it. It was as if I had no control over my emotions, or the fluids dropping from my eyes.
No one said anything. In fact, they moved on, and kept talking about the flowers. Maybe they didn't notice that I was on the verge of losing it completely. I am pretty sure they did, but maybe they wanted to pretend like they hadn't seen it.
I was sitting among strangers, and crying because there might be frost on the ground in May.
That is when you know, you have had too much winter.

After the meeting, I stood outside for a few minutes, shivering uncontrollably, and talking with my new friend.
I apologized for the horribly awkward string of tears that came out of nowhere. I explained I was very emotional lately, and that I was also very cold. She laughed, and said it wasn't a big deal, she wasn't from here either. She had just figured I had a flare for the dramatic. Ha! Like I could bring on tears just to emphasize my point. Not quite.

I like Iowa. I really do. I am not lying either. But I really wish it would warm up to even 20 degrees, so the kids and I can go run barefoot through the prairie. Or something.

Learning

Yesterday, we had a light snowy day here in Iowa. We were invited to a lovely 80 year old couple's home, from our church, for lunch.  We had been trying to make this work for months, but the wife has been battling cancer, and chemo, and was too weak for awhile, to host company. But I could tell that it was very important to this couple that we did eventually make it happen, so when they invited us over yesterday, we made sure that we cleared our schedule to go.

This is one of my very favorite parts of homeschooling. The ability to pick up at 11am, and go visit with an 80 year old couple. I am pretty sure an afternoon with someone who has been alive that long, is invaluable. Especially for children. I believe my children went into it, understanding that they would need to be controlled, (no crazy hyperness!), good listeners (elderly people like to tell stories), and polite (because, you always should be!). They were pleasantly surprised to arrive, and find a home, that had probably been prepped all week prior to our arrival.  From the fruit platter, to the pig scavenger hunt, to the toys set up just for them. But the best part was the basement. One half was set up just for Noah. With all the blocks, and boy toys you could imagine, from about 25 years ago. The other half was set up with a craft table, and a ton of raw supplies. Elaine (the lovely, wonderful host) explained to the children that when she was little, her mom had shown her how to make a "mouse house". This was a tradition she had grown up with, and had passed it on to her children. She showed the girls her own mouse house, from her childhood, and then showed them the boxes she had prepped for them, for their own houses. She told them to have at all those raw supplies, and just go nuts. And they did. They spent hours downstairs crafting, cutting, using their imaginations. I love seeing what they come up with, all on their own. No one wanted to leave when it was time to go. Noah asked if he could just stay. Indefinetely, I don't know? The girls asked if they could come back tomorrow. When someone welcomes you into their home with such love, and warmth, it is hard to leave.

Today, our homeschool class was cancelled due to the weather (negative 25 again, darn it). But the kids (even Noah), all have a mouse house to work on, and that will make our morning fun before we sit down to start our regular school lessons.

We are so thankful for the folks in our new congregation. We are especially thankful for the older folks, the one's who have had a lifetime of learning behind them. They have so much to share with us. They have so much wisdom, and so much love to go around.. And I am grateful for that.