Changing seasons or waking up to a thunderstorm?

Last week it was bone crackin' cold. Still have the chapped lips to prove it.

Then, a couple days ago...the air started to balm up a bit. Not a lot, just a little, just enough that you no longer had to brace yourself when you went outside.

Yesterday, I wore a heavy sweater to work instead of my winter coat. It really wasn't warm enough to do that yet, but I needed to. I just needed to do it.

Last night, I went to one of the unending basketball games in Liv's string of tourneys. Today they play for the championship. Bing is playing a high school musical, so she had to miss it. I watched my daughter turn into a whirling dervish on that basketball court, slithering in wickedly to steal ball after ball. She was guarding a girl who was incredibly tall. Liv is 5'8, so very, very tall. This girl was at least 6'4. I felt for her.  Being THAT tall in the 8th grade just has to be a misery. Liv guarded her well and with fortitude. The girl became furious with her and when the refs weren't watching, would shove her hard with both hands.

I wanted to march out onto that court and SPANK her. She finally did it in close to the bleachers where I sat and without thinking, I yelled out, "Number 55? I see you! Knock it off!" Liv gave me a horrified STAY OUT OF THIS look. Number 55 brazenly stuck her tongue out at me and laughed. My blood boiled, but I bit my tongue. WHY wasn't the ref watching?

At any rate, Liv's team managed to win the game with a basket made when the game was tied with 10 seconds to spare. The girl who made the basket was one of the weaker players on the team. I was pleased, she looked shocked.

So...now...yes...on to the championship game.

As we walked out of the auditorium, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was RAINING. NO SNOW. Rain. Liv was terse with me, still angry that I had butted my Mama head in on the game. She HATES it when she can hear my voice above the rest. I apologized to her, told her that sometimes it's hard to watch her get treated that way.

She reminded me that she was THIRTEEN and could fight her own battles, to PLEASE MAMA! stay out of this. I had embarrassed her.

I sighed. I seem to embarrass her daily.

So, we went home only to find that Bing had just arrived home too. We all ate a bowl of ice cream and headed to bed.

Bing and I cuddled into our soft white sheets, cotton and worn thin and thus, softer than soft. I wrapped myself around her, uncharacteristically snuggling. I am not a snuggle person as a rule. We fell asleep wrapped in our cocoon.

I woke up a few hours to a crackling sound. I sat up. Bing pulled me back down.

"It's thunder, babe. Go back to sleep," she said.

But, I didn't. I settled back down and listened to the pouring rain, watching the room light up with lightning and then wait for it....9 seconds, 10...and then thunder, rumbling and rolling.

I smiled, so thankful that it was rain and not snow. This kind of precipitation in cold weather would be a blizzard.

But, not last night.

I fell asleep to thunder and a consistent rain.

It is supposed to freeze up tomorrow after one more day in the low 50's today. Tomorrow, snow is predicted again.

But...last night....it rained.

And I smiled in my sleep, joyful for this treat after a long Winter.

Spring.

Coming soon to a theater near you!