winter in Minnesota

We made it, and we're so relieved!  After a gruelling drive through blizzard white-outs on icy roads littered with spun-out cars, we arrived safely in Austin Saturday evening.  Owen cried from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa (noon) to St. Ansgar, Iowa (6:30--although that's normally a 2 1/2 hour drive) whereupon he fell asleep for the last 25 miles.  Ellie worked hard at being patient, but I think all of our nerves were shot by the time we pulled into my parents' house.   We pulled in to find parents relieved not to be pacing anymore and a warm dinner spread.  Ellie and Owen leapt to life, we sipped our hot toddies and our hot curry soup and resolved to fly next year.  

It's absolutely breathtaking here.  The snow is sparkling in the sun, the trees are frosted -- Ellie and Owen are entranced.  It is a shock to the system to go from 70 degrees (21 celsius) to - 11 (-17 celsius), but the cold adds to the feeling of being cozy at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  The family is starting to gather . . . Emily and the girls arrive today with Auntie Cassie, who just flew in from Tanzania.  Coming tomorrow is our Tanzanian family -- Conrad and Upendo Kwayu with their new son, Quincy, and Anna Kwayu, Conrad's sister.  It's feeling like Christmas.  Next week we'll have our Willemsen Christmas in Pella, Iowa.  More soon!