Yes, Valerie, there really is a Santa Claus....
His name is Ron and he is my husband and my "Santa Claus." He drove for two days through blinding snow and blizzard like conditions to make our dreams and wishes come true...
My husband and I had decided it was too dangerous for our daughter to try and drive back from Pullman, WA even with chains on her little car due to the heavy snow that has been pounding the area for over a week now. He was going to get her... He tried to do it Thursday only to be turned back because of the weather. He couldn't get far even in the 4x4 truck with chains. Too dangerous.
He decided he'd try again the next morning. He set out even before the crack of dawn Friday (3:30AM), went into work for a couple of hours to help out and set out around 7AM from there. We decided Friday was our one and only shot at this because Saturday blizzard warnings were posted for the mountain passes and in our area they were predicting a foot of snow and then freezing rain.
Our next dilemma was going to be that Saturday we were supposed to be attending our son's graduation from Chiropractor School in Portland. Were we going to be able to make it? And now with the weather our son was not going to be able to get to his own graduation in HIS car, so we needed to scoop him up along the way. The next question was could WE get there and should we stay the night or come home before all hell really breaks lose as predicted by the weather forecasters?
Again, the weather window on this was all going to be very limited and held us captive for the most part! Ron did get Becky back from Pullman but it was a full 18 hour day with a normal 10 hour drive turned into a 15 hour drive. Not too bad actually. Whew.... both safe and sound and at home. Now for the next winter adventure, the graduation in Portland.
They were forecasting high winds, a foot of snow and then freezing rain on top of it. Hmm... we headed for Portland at 6AM, scooped Sean up along the way only to hit the city limits of Portland greeted by horrible road conditions and snow....but we persevered and got him to his graduation. We made the decision to not spend the night as the next days driving conditions were supposed to be worse.
We head out from there for home (Allyn, WA). The conditions are horrible. horrible. High winds made the snow "swirl" 
on the road creating white outs. Cars and trucks were on the side of the road chaining up if they hadn't already been in the ditch. It was slow going all the way home. Our 3 hour drive took 6, but we made it.
Those were two of my Christmas wishes - to get my daughter home and attend our sons graduation. It wouldn't have happened without my husband's determination, skillful driving, and his love for his family as he drove two days in a row through miserable road conditions with wind, snow and freezing rain. He is my "Santa Claus" and Christmas Super hero and the love of my life as he endures through it all without a second thought (okay maybe once he had a second thought as we lost a windshield wiper that wouldn't stop icing up).
We've made it home safe and sound -with only one last piece of the Christmas wish to go- getting our son Sean back up here (Allyn, WA) from Portland before Christmas. I just know though, that "Santa Claus" is watching and waiting for the opportune time and as soon as that window opens, "Santa Claus" will once again climb in his sleigh and be on his way to make all of our Christmas wishes come true. He is my "Santa Claus" and a very special man in my and my family's life.
From our home to your home - Merry Christmas to everyone. May all your dreams and wishes come true... May all your days be Merry and bright and shared with family and friends!
Valerie
~Allyn, Belfair, Grapeview, Hood Canal & Puget Sound Real Estate~
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