Growing up in Arizona there were two things we had a lot of sunshine and clear sky.

With that being said, I feel like its best if we just get the obvious out there and move on. Deal?

In Juneau it rains A LOT! We are talking 100 inches of rain a year, a lot. Also we are surrounded by mountains that are literally in your backyard, therefore, they look huge. With the combination of those two things there is a strange phenomenon that occurred (at least in my head).

After about 3 weeks of rain everyday (or at least overcast and foggy), the sun finally peeked its head out, and this was when I noticed the mountains grew. When we took R for her walk it seemed like the mountains were in my face and huge. Just the same when we went to pick up D from work. It was like I was seeing Juneau for the first time all over again. Maybe that is how people live here so long and don’t get sick of the view. 

There is a chance that it is just the selective observant side of me or my lack of long-term and even short-term memory. Can anyone say mommy brain? But it was like a veil had been lifted, a light shone on these mountains and they looked brand new to me.

There is something magical about seeing things for the first time and since we have been here I feel like I see the view even if just in a different way, or at a different angle for the first time. I don’t think I will ever get used to living somewhere so breathtaking.

Also there is something really cool that happens here when it snows. Okay again probably not THAT cool, but to me it was exciting. First of all it really throws you off when you are used to hearing that the snow level is at 8,000 or 6,000 feet and you hear on the radio that the snow level is at 400 or 500 feet. It really causes pause. What we usually don’t see often in Flagstaff is the snow level, being at 7,000 feet we are usually getting snow on the ground or very close by, but here there is a distinct line where the snow stopped. The first time this happened I was taken a back. You mean it really stops snowing after 400 feet?! After that initial time it was exciting to see this happen and to have it so apparent and in our front yard.

I have never been much for Science, or I have fought it all throughout school, but I am really excited to teach BB all the fun things and really open her eyes to exploring and learning about the world around her. I can’t lie I feel like Juneau is the place to do that, I’ve already learned or made connections to things I learned years ago here.