Christmas Weather

        I'm sure there must have been a few Christmases without snow before 2009.   I just can't recall any until that year.  It was our first year living in West Valley.  Tony was engaged and had come home from Fort Knox to spend Christmas with us.  No snow on the ground!  It was awesome, actually.  I took pictures of Jenna wearing brand new outfits from Grandma Lucy.  Without a coat, she stood next to the outside tree.   

        I took many pictures of the outdoor weather because it was just so foreign to me to have that much sunshine and warmth for December and no cold air biting at us or having snow on the ground.  That is actually the only year I remember not having snow . . . until last year.  But even then we had experienced a little bit of snow - not as much as we're used to, but an outrageous amount for Myrtle Creek.

        This Christmas the weather reminded me of our Christmas of 2009.  In Oregon it did . . . I would have hated the weather had I been back in Utah.  Our family had wanted us to return to Utah for Christmas.  It would have been great as we had time off, but we can't afford to fly and driving in harsh weather just didn't make sense to us.  Oh, the weather has been great in Myrtle Creek, but not on the roads between MC and SLC.  I don't know how much snow or when the last record was - but I remember the snowstorms all too well.  I am so grateful I didn't have to be a part of it this year.

        From what I understand, instead of holding regular classes at Coffenberry, the teachers had offered sign-up sheets for students to enjoy certain activities on the last day of school.  Jenna didn't  seem to express her normal enthusiasm.  She just wasn't feeling well.  As the day progressed, so did her lack of enthusiasm.  After she returned home, she balled herself upon the couch for a while.  Gradually she moved from the couch to the bed and then to the bathroom where she heaved into the toilet - even when there was nothing left.  She realized that she was dehydrated.  That actually put a damper on both of our plans.

        She had an absolutely great attitude about it:  "Well, at least I'm sick during vacation and not during school."

        Roland would harp on her to stay in bed and take medicine and drink plenty of liquid.  She gradually overcame the dehydration but displayed symptoms of a really bad cold.  A week later I shared in with her cough.  But I am a much better patient than Jenna and was actually able to stay in bed and fall asleep - at least the 23rd and part of the 24th.  And that got old and boring quickly.  Christmas was about to arrive and I wasn't being a part of it as I had wanted to be.  I have been grateful it has just been a cough and not the sinus infection I would surely have if we were back in Utah.

        We weren't the only ones sick.  Both Tony and Randy were experiencing coughs and sore throats.  BJ sounds as though he was experiencing a sinus infection of some kind, and Bill hadn't felt well either.  We had an enjoyable Christmas here.  Still not used to the weather, but I'm sure I'll adjust