SNOW QUEEN

My mom always calls on my birthday (the first day of Spring) to remind me that on the morning I was born over a foot of snow fell prior to my delivery.  Apparently this was a sign to her that I would be a different child but she just didn't know HOW different.  Mom tells me that my Dad was quite nervous about the snow and travel to the hospital  but that she wasn't worried at all, which for some reason I find hilarious. I have visions of her dressed for the hospital and I do mean dressed as in "I'm ready for the photographers",  puffing away on a Kent sitting on the front bench seat of the blue Ford wagon as Dad shoveled the driveway minutes before their journey to the hospital.  Every time we get snow -- a little or a lot -- I flash to this image.  I hope I am mostly like her with that ability to take life's hurdles not in my control in stride.