In Like a Lamb or In Like Lion?

There is that old saying--if March comes in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion or visa versa.  It was two different worlds in Vancouver, WA and Wichita, KS this weekend.

The weather here in the Pacific Northwest these past few weeks has been spectacular.  Almost scarily so.  There is a lot of concern that we don't have enough rain and snow pack this year because it has been so dry.  And warm.  I don't believe I have ever mowed the lawn in February before.  We had to mow our grass both last weekend (and probably needed it before that) and again this weekend.  It has been so warm that the plum trees were blossoming about a week ago.  I don't think I have seen that in February before either.  Usually not until around St. Patrick's Day.  I saw daffodils in bloom on the way to church this morning.  March definitely came in like a lamb here in the Pacific Northwest.

Bill read that there was going to be a Chinese New Year gala at Skyview High School yesterday.  It wasn't very expensive.  Only $10 a ticket which included dinner and the show.  So we decided we would give it a go.  We didn't know anyone there so we were a bit on our own.  And definitely in the minority.  There were a few other white folks there but it was almost all Chinese and all speaking Chinese.  We got in line to get our dinner which came in a white styrofoam to go box and tried to find a spot to sit as it was already really crowded in the school cafeteria.  We managed to find a couple of seats and talked to the other couple at the table for a bit.  Then we went to stake out our seats in the auditorium for the show.  We didn't stay for the whole program but stayed for the first hour and a half.  There was a lion dance--think dragon dance only with just two people in the costume.  And kung fu demostrations, lantern dances, Tibetian dancers, Indian dancers, a comedy routine of some sort (we think since it was all in Chinese and didn't get much out of it), vocal presentations, ballet, etc. It was a nice diversion for the evening and exposed us to more of the Chinese culture in our community.

Meanwhile in Wichita--Maddy has been waiting all winter long to get snow.  So March came in like a lion down there.  She was so excited that they finally got a good amount of snow there.  They took a walk over to their community pond.  Tom blazed a trail so that Ariel could manage.  She loved the snow.  She was wearing a sweater and was prancing the whole time.  It will be the last Tom sees snow for awhile I would think.  He is headed to the Middle East again soon for a few months.  We will definitely be well into spring by the time he returns.

So whether your March came in like a lamb or in like a lion--I hope you are enjoying your weekend as our family has.