The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of travels as I made my way to the East Coast for some time with the family and then back to the Midwest with a flurry of December activity. Some favorite snapshots from the past couple weeks:
- Kayaking on a river in Maine with my dad in the stillness of November. The riverbanks were lined with tall pines and the empty branches from other trees allowed the setting sun to give us light as dusk chased us back to shore.
- Washing dishes with ladies from my parents' church and enjoying the camaraderie of new acquaintances serving together.
- Taking turns reading aloud with my mom in the car as my parents and I traveled to Vermont in the middle of snowstorm. Every once in a while I would glance out the window at the familiar landscape outlined in white.
- Singing worship songs with my extended family on Thanksgiving and delighting in the combination of mountain dulcimer and mandolin.
- Playing games at my Grandma's house: I proceeded to conquer the world, kill some bunnies to obtain a magic carrot, trade beans, fulfill pizza order cards, set my people in fields & cities, among other things...
- Walking down twisting mountain roads and either venturing into a snowball fight or exploring further than I'd gone before.
- Holding deep discussions with one sister before falling asleep or with the other and her husband on the long drive from Vermont to Chicago.
- Returning to my roommates and a cozy living room decorated for Christmas.
- Spending time with people from church and realizing how blessed I am with this community.
Suffice to say that as Thanksgiving has blended into the Christmas season, I am again impressed with gratitude for my family, for the beautiful landscapes around me, my roommates, my church community, and of course, for the God who created it all.
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| Photo by my sister |
