If you live in Virginia, you know it to be true.

One moment the sun is shining down its blistering 90-degree rays through a cloudless sky, and the next a torrential downpour is flooding the streets.

I'd like to thank Virginia weather for always keeping me on my toes.

Thank you, VA weather, for never failing to implement the element of surprise at the worst possible moment, whether it be a surprise hail storm during a seemingly normal walk around the park or an ambushing clap of thunder right after drifting off to sleep.

Thank you for your never faltering affection on excruciatingly balmy summer days, wrapping your heat-waved hands around me and causing beads of sweat to drip down my spine. I sure do love it when my makeup condescends off my face and my hair grows three times its size like the Grinch's heart on Christmas.

Virginia weather, it enchants me how I can wake up on a below-freezing morning, shivering in my oversized sweater, and be forced to change my outfit by mid-afternoon due to a sudden spike in temperature. Your weather patterns never cease to amaze me.

Thank you for the snow days followed by the days that could easily be spent making a trip to the beach. It's great being able to wear a sundress in the Spring while still being surrounded by melting snow. It's like two seasons combined into one.

Thank you for the terribly cold winter days that crack my skin and chap my lips; dried skin floating off me like winter wonderland snowflakes. The only consolation in this is knowing that, thankfully, by summertime, the skin-flakes will be replaced by nice, relaxing pools of oil for dirt and makeup residue to lounge by, thus clogging my pores and causing my adult acne to make an appearance once again. Truly the best of both worlds.

Thank you for never failing to make me question my wardrobe choices throughout the day -- wearing a rain jacket with corresponding rain boots all day long without even a drop of rain in sight (even though the weather channel called for a downpour) is quite the fashion statement. Conversely, walking around in wet shoes all day due to snow, mud, rain, etc. sinking its way through the barrier of my flats during a promised sunny day is a wonderfully magnificent feeling. One of the best.

Most importantly, thank you for always staying true to yourself. You are a leader, not a follower; truly a state like no other. I love how at particular times of the year some parts of the state could be covered under a thick blanket of snow while other parts are sipping sweet tea on their patios with the sun shining down lovely 70-degree rays. How do you do it?

Thank you, VA weather. You are unique, to say the least.