I don’t know how else to say this, so I’ll just, well, say it:
This winter has kicked my tail.
KICKED MY TAIL.
And believe you me, I have tried to figure out why. Maybe it’s because I was in a little bit of a funk at the end of fall (wemustneverspeakofmybirthdayagain). Maybe it’s because our wintertime holidays didn’t pan out exactly like I hoped they would. Maybe it’s because I got sick over Christmas and spent about four days in the bed, which really only served to make me want to spend more time in the bed. Maybe it’s because All The Gray started to rub me the wrong way around, oh, December 1st, and it’s pretty much been gray for the three months since then. Maybe God wanted me to walk through some sadness and some lonely for a little while. Maybe I’m just hormonal.
But this much I know for sure: I AM READY FOR SOME SUNSHINE.
(And yes, I know that given where I live, I’ve had a mild go of it in terms of winter weather.)
(Which is why this winter’s emotional state has left me more convinced than ever that I MUST NEVER LEAVE THE SOUTH.)
Yesterday afternoon Alex and I were at the post office, and the trees had huge buds on them. I actually took a picture so I could have a little visual reminder that the spring, it is coming. I bought some new nail polish this past weekend because I thought it might make me feel better to have a pretty spring color on my fingers and toes. I’ve been listening to a bunch of new music so I can make my spring soundtrack selections (I always have a spring soundtrack – it’s one of the great joys in my life, and I highly recommend it).
And this morning, when I walked outside, I heard some birds singing. I smiled and thought, Oh. This is a VERY good sign.
Bring it on, sweet spring.
Love you, girl. YOU are like sunshine to me. (a little bit of actual sun wouldn’t hurt anything though)
Girl, I hear that. I always proclaim that I love the winter time, but I didn’t mean IOWA’s winter, just Alabama’s.
My husband just got it out of his mouth that he was ready for some mosquitoes and sweating. He was talking to our youngest who is ready to get outside and play!
I am so with you about winter!
Will you share your spring sound track? Always looking for new stuff on the iPod, you know.
I am SO with you! This winter has been horrid. My youngest has not been well since OCTOBER. I’m not kidding. And now my oldest is sick, too. And my third is coming in just three weeks. I think I need to go throw up. lol
amen sista!
ps please share that soundtrack!
AAAAAMMMMMEEEEENNNNN! Heavens I could not agree more, Calgon, take the gray (or me) away!
I could not agree more! I don’t think I could live any farther north than Alabama! However, I really dislike the blistering heat too. This August, I will be 8 months pregnant…lucky me! With as much fluid as I’ll be retaining, maybe I’ll just evaporate!
Boy do I hear you!!! As a southerner recently transplanted up north, I miss the sun. I’ve adjusted to the snow, but the grey skies are another thing. Come on spring!!!
I’m right on the line between north and south (can see the Ohio River out my window) and this winter has just been awful. I can’t remember what sunshine looks like. Now that you’ve teased us, you have to give us a hint of what a Spring Soundtrack sounds like!
AMEN SISTER! I heard the birds this morning too! I think this Easter will be especially meaningful because the winter has been LONG.
I’m so glad that HE is the LIGHT. In Him is no darkness at all!
I’m in Austin, and WE’VE had a cooler and wetter winter than the previous two I’ve experienced, so I feel for ya.
I won’t mention this to my family in Ohio, however, because they’ve had FORTY-SEVEN inches of snow!!!!! They usually only get 8-10. Yeah.
I don’t know what birthday you had, but the Lord is doing a work in me as I approach my next birthday…and it’s still 10 months away!
Thanks for sharing!
Preach.
It.
Like all the others…. AMEN on that!!!
Come on Spring!!! Not sure where you are in Alabama, but we are in Montgomery and the last 2 weekends have been beautiful, only to bring colder and drearier weather during the week… which on a positive note is good because the weekends is when the boys NEED to get outside and expend some of that energy!!! Wooo hooo… and this weekend is supposed to be pretty too. But come on Spring for good… and like you… remind me of this when I’m burning SLAP UP in this hot Alabama heat! Humid heat! :)
I agree with you (and Natalie) 100%! I lived in Iowa for 30 years, so I know that Alabama winters are NOTHING in comparison. But I’m still sick and tired of it! Things are starting to bloom here, though, and that does help. I’m so looking forward to daylight savings time so that I can actually enjoy some of that sunlight after work (my office is in a basement and has no windows).
saw another blog this a.m. from way north complaining about the snow. Guess we could all use a little spring!
I hear you! BUT, I lived in the south until after college, then I moved to Colorado. I never knew how much of a depressed mood I could get in the winter until I left Georgia. The entire winter IS gray (and usually wet/dreary) there! Yes, Colorado has a lot of snow (especially this year), but there are wonderful days of full-on sunshine, too. I’d have to choose 50 degrees with snow on the ground and sunshine overhead, rather than the nasty gray of the south. Spring will come much sooner for you, though. That is when I will be jealous. Very jealous.
I grew up in Arkansas, but now I live in NY. Oh my goodness, I can’t handle winter here. I usually take a trip back down South in the Spring because I get so sick of the cold and gray. This year I haven’t planned anything yet, but I’m at the point now that I would hitchhike back home if could. I can’t stand it anymore! I need sun (and azaleas)!!!
Riding down the road with my hubby on Sunday… I suddenly yelled, “Praise the Lord”. He wondered what I had remembered when I confessed to seeing Daffodills. I just love Spring. And I’m sick to death of hearing our weatherman tell of the coming gloom and cold. In fact Friday afternoon, I might just have him go to the attic to fetch my Easter decorations. Spring might just be a state of mind!
I am right there with you, my friend. That’s why I love daffodils, they just give me hope that it won’t be much longer. I actually bought some at the store today for my kitchen table. Winter sucks. Bring on Spring.
And Easter! Sunday’s comin!
Amen. And amen. I am waving my white flag of surrender for Old Man Winter. I live next door in West GA, and in the 10 years I’ve lived here, I’ve never seen as much snow and sub freezing temps as I’ve seen this year.
I.so.feel.you. I have been feeling the same way. I can’t wait for sticky sweatiness in uncomfortable places..lol.
Amen – we have had about a week and a half of sunshine – and it is glorious – even if it is only 30-40 degrees max. I do live in Minnesota – and I swear it is really the sunshine that makes all the difference. Praise the lord my children have decided that sledding and snowboarding down our backyard hill is the greatest – the time they are spending outside (and not bickering) is truly a blessing!!
Me, too, friend. ME TOO!!
This–“Which is why this winter’s emotional state has left me more convinced than ever that I MUST NEVER LEAVE THE SOUTH”–is another reason my parents won’t visit us in Colorado. They believe it’s winter all-year-round. No. No, it isn’t.
I hear ya.
It has been one. long. winter.
We saw a bird out the kitchen window today while eating lunch and the excitement level amongst my kids was out of control. You would’ve thought Disneyland had landed in our backyard, with Cinderella beckoning them to come play with armfuls of tiaras and cotton candy. They were freaking out. One of the girls went up and changed into shorts.
Spring can’t get here soon enough.
You could always move to Singapore…it’s been in the 80s/90s and sunny EVERY DAY since we moved here 9 months ago. :-)
This afternoon I drove to pick up the kids at school. Even though it was 47 degrees, it was SUNNY, so I put on my coat, rolled down the car windows, and turned up the “Alright” by MercyMe. Ah, spring!
I may envy your area’s warmth, but not the grey! Yes, it is mighty cold up here (Canada) in the winter, but we have mostly bright, crisp blue skies throughout the long long winter. I hate cold, but I think I would still choose our weather over the grey skies all winter long. I. Do. Not. Do well without sunshine! :)
I couldn’t agree more. I’m your neighbor next door in GA, so it’s not like I live in Michigan where my sister lives, but I’m totally over this winter. I’m sick of the snow, gray days and rain. I went last week and got blonde highlights, hoping to bring on spring faster. I need sunshine!!! Hey, I’m looking forward to meeting you this weekend at the Beloved Retreat. I hear it’s going to be nothing but sunshine and blue skies all weekend.
Oh how I wish we had buds on our trees but, alas, probably not for another month yet! Darn the frozen tundra.
if this post had a “like” button..I would click it!
I am with you! Here in northeast TN, we are seriously about to hunt down whoever is praying for snow and FORCE them to STOP! :) Spring — come quickly!!!
We have had the snowiest winter on record here and it is kicking my tail too! Not to mention that it is kicking my house’s tail. I’ve got a neighbor’s tree branch about to fall on my parking pad, a rainspout / gutter that fell off my house, a fence that has fallen apart, a leak in my bathroom and water in my basement. I’m about to put some old appliances on blocks on the parking pad just to class things up a bit.
Come on spring!
I’ve had a hard time with the winter too! Please share your spring soundtrack~would love to start that tradition!
Me too. My 3 year old is a MANIAC. The sun is out and it’s a balmy 45 in Nashville.
I’m going to buy some flowers to put in my kitchen. And then stare at them all day long.
I hear you! I’m in central Georgia, and it’s been the Coldest. Winter. Ever. I’m tired of wearing the same four sweaters (I’m pregnant, and all of my maternity clothes from before are for summer!), I’m tired of having to bundle my little boy up to get in the car, and I’m just tired of being cold! Not to mention all the rain we’ve had this winter…Come on spring!
I regularly thank God that I live in TX, because even our mild winters kick my trash. And it snowed 3 times this year! We have sunshine and temps in the 60s right now! Oh my word I can’t tell you how happy it makes me. Also, I bought some new nail polish to celebrate the coming of spring, so glad to know I’m not the only one. ;)
please, please tell us more about your spring soundtrack!! i would LOVE to hear what you’ve chosen!! spring is my best time of year ~~ i am at my best in spring, i do my best work in spring, i am happiest in spring, i am hopeful. which is funny because i believe in my heart every year that spring, it just won’t come….then it does!! hooray!!!
Spring? What’s that? Trees would blossom here until May. So while the temperature teases me with days above 50 and sunshine experience has taught me Mother Nature has 2 more months of ick for us here in Rhode Island.
BUT. In July I will sit in my backyard under my oak tree and enjoy cool breezes. I just keep reminding myself that as I look at the brown muck in my yard right now.
It got up to a balmy 50 degrees here in KY today. I wore flip-flops to town to run my errands! To make me think of sunshine, I often drag out the Jimmy Buffett around this time. Makes me want to fix some sweet tea and put on some coconut-y suntan lotion.
Oh, sister. I am so sorry to hear you’ve had the blues. Your list of reasons why looks a lot like mine so I can totally relate. Sending you warm hugs from up here where it’s still cold but not currently grey. Have you started on the Beth Moore SLI book yet? I finished it and wrote a few hideously vulnerable posts about it. Would love to hear what you thought, how it struck you, what your big take-aways were. I’m listening to Amy Grant a lot in the car lately – The Collection. I seem to always gravitate to that one when I’m in need of uplifting, and my sweet daughter now loves it and can sing along with many of the songs (and request her favorites, which makes me so happy!). Can’t wait to hear Amy’s new one. She seems to always be singing what I’m feeling. Hope you get some warmth and sunshine today. xoxoxo
I have daffodils BLOOMING! I have day lilies and tulips BUDDING! I’m in love, but fear the next four weeks. We’re not truely out of the gray until after Easter.
I’d love to know the color of the nail polish! I’m looking for a new spring color! :)
I do hope you post your spring soundtrack!