School started on Monday, but classes on Tuesday and Wednesday were cancelled because of the weather. I know that reprieve is a blessing for some people, but it makes me sad. I love school. I have three classes that only meet once a week, so missing them means we do not start until next week. Thankfully, one of them met online on Monday before the weather really struck, so I have plenty to be working on for that class. But the other two are mostly just having to wait until next week.

Being home feels familiar. I’m thinking back to the early days of Covid when we were staying home and had no idea how long we would be here. I’m also remembering the snow storm of 2021 and how strange it was to go in and out of power. Quick, make the coffee! I remember the awareness of what being without was like. That’s not a regular feeling for us. But being home, even for hard reasons, has always been a gift to us. My home is my favorite place. I think starting the semester this way is a good reminder to not hurry into everything and to appreciate the little things – the warm bed, the clean load of laundry, the warm coffee. Those are all small treasures.

We have experienced many treasures lately. I am relishing every minute of school. Dave is working a job he is happy in. Bread seems to be doing well despite losing his sister. We had a wonderful extended holiday of nearly a solid month together, including a grand adventure abroad. We also got to see Dave’s family and have plans to see more of them over spring break. The gifts are huge these days. Our joy feels huge.

Our challenge now is in finding ways to connect with people, as we tend to lean towards home. This past weekend, I did a fun trail race in Georgetown, which always brings sweet time with friends. I then had lunch with a new friend from our trip overseas, and my connection with her was affirmed in seventeen different ways. I also got to spend sweet time with my niece. (I should say that all time with my niece is sweet.) On top of that, Dave had good friends in town, so we spent some extended time with them, which I loved because I did not know these people very well. I knew Dave really loved them, but this visit gave me a chance to experience them for myself. It was the perfect way to spend a last weekend before classes started.

Leaning into people is what I would like to do more of in the coming months. I don’t know what that looks like exactly, because I still have school and work and other things to get done. But people. I think that’s where we want to be. So this morning, I’m thinking about our people and hoping everyone is nestled safely at home. As we come out of this storm, let’s connect over a meal or even a coffee. We would like that.