Snow

Not exactly a "God" surprise, but a surprise for my 1 hour of being awake so far today, snow.

Now, I have lived in Grand Forks for four years and now in Minneapolis for almost two year and snow is not something I am afraid of, but I have just learned that a small snow storm (about 6 inches) causes the entire city of Seattle to shut down. What? It is true. I have been in Seattle for 4 days and one day we tried to drive up to Crystal Mountain to go snowboarding and alas, we were stopped with all the other cars and told we had to put chains on, but there wasn't even snow on the street, so we would have ruined the chains and had to turn around concurred by the weather.

Now, yesterday, I spent an hour in a car between two blocks, because once it starts snowing in Seattle, people begin to freak out. Drivers because crazed, streets become hilly-ice rinks, and cars because spinning bodies of danger. There is no plan, the streets do not get salted, the roads do not get plowed, people just don't go to work and the TV is overtaken with "emergency reports" about the horrendous weather.

There are people who left work last night and still at 9:30am haven't arrived home because they gave up on the highway.

I'm telling you it is insane! The city is shut down...and I am just laughing!

God is good, none-the-less, even though plans are re-adjusted, without driving capabilities, sitting in with your best friend and her husband is just as fun as snowboarding and the experience will always be something to remember.

In Seattle

I think best friends are surprises in themselves. I mean, the world is pretty big and what are the chances that of all the places you could be and all the choices you make to get you where you are, that you will find one or more people who you click with perfectly, feel like your souls are kindred and just enjoy spending time with. It may sound simple, but if you really sit down to wrap your mind around it, it is quite complex.

I was thinking about that today as I sat in the car with one of my best friends, Jen. Sometimes I don't know why I chose UND for school or what inspired me to join Delta Gamma... All these choices I made led me to where I am. I was thinking about how I desire to be married and perhaps my husband was at another school and if I hadn't gone to UND I would have met him. Would I have chosen that path, knowing those details? NEVER! My girlfriends are more valuable to me than diamonds and emeralds. I love the life I have lived and the people I have met, boys can come later. The choices I made to take me to UND and to join DG and to latch onto the people I have, my friends, were the right choices. I remember that as Jen lists off her ideas for stuff to do while I'm out here and I listen, thinking to myself... She knows me so well, it is exactly what I would want to do! Or as we are napping together on the couch after 6 hours of shopping, prepping for 3 more! :) I couldn't ask for a better friend, someone that knows you inside-out, accepts you and affirms you in who you are and someone who you are comfortable enough with to snuggle under a lacy blanket while National Lampoon's Christmas vacation plays and just laugh. That is the best.

So, I am not only surprised, but floored by the friends God has given me. It has been two days since I added anything and there have been lots of little surprises. A safe flight to Seattle; a delicious Thanksgiving dinner at the Vacanti's; a great episode of Grey's Anatomy :); an amazing day of shopping; good friends; and so many more blessings. God surprises me by reminding me of the past, and how truly awesome it was. He reminds me of the friends I made and the blessing it is to have made them. He surprises me in that I truly feared that the dear friendships I had at college would dissolve over time, but they haven't, they are only stronger and the times we have together now are more exciting because they are in new towns and new circumstances. The surprises and changes are what make life interesting and exciting and in this context adds some real spice to some already awesome friendship.

In other news, Seattle is beautiful. It is SO green! The evergreens really cause the earth to look alive and vibrant. It has rained 50% of my time here, which is pretty good (in other-words, it rained one day and didn't the next), but of course I love rain and look forward to some more rain (as long as it heats up a bit) Brrrr. It is definitely the warmth of both Vacanti families that I have been able to spend time with the past two days that has caused my vacation to be so lovely so far. I am excited for the rest of the trip! :)