grace in one's first ever white christmas

yes, i went to college in the mountains, where it snowed frequently.  yes, i live in new england, where it snows frequently.  but, dear readers, i must tell you...i have never before experienced a white christmas.  there is something so rare and beautiful about this to me...a rarity i have sung about in many a carol, but never seen with my own eyes.  until now!  the day started as every other christmas i remember- with all of us children-at-heart mozying out of bed and downstairs to see if santa came (although in recent years coffee has taken precedence over presents), followed by the trip to raleigh to share christmas dinner with grandma and granddad...but there was a special wonder in the air as we periodically checked the forecast and wouldn't you know it, as we headed home, the flakes started to fall!  they fell all through the night, and when we woke up the next morning, our front yard was a winter wonderland:

what a joy!  we enjoyed the whole day "snowbound"...spending quality time together, reading, cooking, drinking tea and coffee, and just in awe of the 8.5 inches of beauty that seemed to have magically appeared!  how grateful i am to have finally enjoyed a white christmas...with my family...in the land of sweet tea...a day i never thought we'd actually see!