Schizophrenic weather is not my favorite.

I share a room with my nearly 3 year old nephew Charlie who wakes up every morning around 7 or 7:30 and whispers across the room to me, "Aunt Jo, I want out..." So I roll out of bed, get him out of his crib, send him out the door to find his dad, and then crawl back in bed and go back to sleep.

But this morning Charlie woke up extra early - before anyone else was up. I could hear him rustling around in his crib so I looked at my clock and saw that it was only 6:30. So I whispered, "Charlie... it's really early.... nobody's awake yet." And he said, "But it's morning - look," and pointed at the ceiling where streaks of sunshine were coming through the small cracks in the window and illuminating the room. And I knew there was no way to prolong getting him out.

So I stumbled out of bed, put a blanket around my shoulders and came out to the living room with him to watch cartoons until someone else woke up. And strangely enough, I wasn't grumpy about the fact that it was really early and I was not in bed. Why? Because the sun was shining. There are few things that can make me as happy as sunshine can. I walked into the kitchen and it was so bright and beautiful outside that it hurt my eyes and I had to squint. The cathedral's domes were glowing bright gold from the rising sun and it was hard to look straight at it. And it made me happy. Yep, today is going to be a good day, I thought to myself with a satisfied smile.

So I went back to my bed after Traci came into the living room to be with Charlie and I went back to sleep for a few hours feeling very warm and happy about the sunshiny day that lay ahead.

And then I woke up to this:

What would be really great is if it would just make up it's mind. No more of this oh-yay-it's-getting-warm-maybe-spring-is-on-its-way...-no-wait-it's-definitely-not-spring-cause-it's-still-snowing-like-crazy-outside business. I mean, it's the middle of March - let's just get on with the sunshine and butterflies already. I'm ready for a little more brightness and a lot less dreary. And definitely less snow.

All I have to say is thank goodness for bright yellow daffodils and the prospect of Portugal...