My family has been living in Ireland since October of last year.(2017) Many people have told us that it is very rare to see snow here. There is certainly rain and lots of green even in the winter, but none of that magical white fluff. I talked to a woman who told me that she remembered a big snowstorm as a child and then once again as an adult. Only twice in her lifetime did she see the snow accumulate. Since arriving, we’ve had a couple of times where we woke up and it was lightly snowing for a very short time and promptly melting as it hit the ground. What Luck! We got to see snow flurry activity in Ireland. Who gets to do that?  Then last week something unimaginable happened. We started hearing about a coming storm named Emma and The Beast from The East. It hit on Wednesday morning, February 28th. I woke up early to take my dog outside and was surprised to see a small accumulation of snow. I looked around for the great Beast from the East but it was more like a playful kitten at this point. The snow was pretty and it covered the roads and the outside world in a thin glittering blanket. This is when I started to learn that my Labrador, who hates cold and rain, absolutely adores the snow and she didn’t want to come back in. I started checking my texts and emails to see if I had received anything from the kid’s school. I was assured that if there were snow on the ground the schools would close. I was hoping maybe they’d be able to stay in bed a bit longer. There was nothing there so I woke up my kids and they began their morning routine. Once they had all put their uniforms on  and were eating breakfast the text came. Met Eireann, the Irish Meteorological Service had issued a red warning. Shortly after, I received a text that the school was closed! My kids joyously changed and one quickly ran to the yard to play in the snow. My husband and I are both originally from Michigan and for us this was a small amount of snow. Certainly not a beast. I can understand that for most here it is rare and there isn’t the same equipment to clear roads or experience with driving. My kids did not start their lives in Michigan. They started out in Phoenix, AZ where the summers are sweltering hot and the winters are comfortable and sunny. The snow is pure magic for them. They didn’t get to play in it every year as I did or shovel sidewalks or ever have the chance to get tired of it and wish for green again. My kids, who hate to go for walks or go exploring somewhere new outside just wanted to play and build snowmen and igloos and other snow structures. I could hardly coax them in at times just to warm up a little. It was marvelous!

In the meantime, my husband had already started his drive to work. He made it out of our neighborhood only to find that driving wasn’t a great option. While he knows how to drive through the snow, the people who call Ireland home don’t have the necessary experience and it became clear right away that the commute would just be too long. He decided to drive around the block to come drop off the car. It took an incredible 25 minutes. Luckily there is a great bus system. He next walked to the bus stop and was able to get to work that way. The snow continued on and off. Mid-afternoon the city buses stopped running. They didn’t run again until Saturday. Even then it was on a more limited schedule than normal. Later that day, sometime around dinner, I received a text that the school would remain closed Thursday and Friday as well. So, my kids had days of carefree snow playing and building. A small snowman and ice building were formed out front and a big snowman and igloo went up out in the backyard. There was hardly any fighting as they were working together to construct and play and imagine. The snow truly is enchanting. Memories are the best part of what transpired last week. My kids will always remember that one time in Ireland when they smiled and laughed and had snowball fights with mom and dad and crawled into the igloo in the yard. I’ll remember walking by the water in Dublin with my husband and seeing the waves crash on the pier in the distance and feeling the sting of the snow as it hit my face while tasting the salt in the air from the sea. I’ll remember how all the shops closed except for just a couple small family owned cafes here and there. I’ll also remember how the market was cleared of all bread, milk, eggs and much of the fresh fruits and vegetables. I don’t expect it to happen again while we are here but I’m grateful for memories made.