New post for a new year

I didn't do anything particularly festive for New Year's (although I did make chocolate covered strawberries and toasted with my roommate and her boyfriend using sparkling cider). I watched Invincible and nurtured my love for Philly, while I organized my papers and bills. I had this mound of papers I hadn't really sorted since, oh, May, and last night just sat down and went through it. I haven't got any real resolutions for the new year, but at least I'm going into it slightly more organized :).

Break was good, if short. The day after I got home we had a nasty storm. Thankfully, I was headed up to the Poconos for a summer camp staff reunion and my friend was driving. While all we got was ice at home, there were about 8-10" of beautiful snow up in the wooded mountains. It was glorious. I had wanted snow when I went home, I just didn't expect that prayer to be answered so quickly or abundantly. I got to play in the snow, and go tubing and cross-country skiing on Saturday. I thoroughly enjoy cross-country skiing - so easy, and so much fun, and so peaceful too - and wish I lived somewhere where I could go cross-country skiing, well, ever. And Sunday it snowed again and I got to go for a walk by the waterfalls by myself before church, in the snow. Beautiful. Of course I enjoyed catching up with people, as well.

And that relates to one plan - not resolution, plan - for this semester/new year/however you'd like to frame it: I plan to keep in better contact with people. Maybe rather than watching TV when I get home, I'll write a letter each night, or make a phone call, or (unrelated to other people but for personal sanity) read a book or sew or do something else. It will likely make me feel much more peaceful and connected and less scattered & anxious. So if you're reading this, hopefully you'll hear from me soon.

Back to break: I definitely enjoyed my time at home. It was very busy, and not as restful as I'd hoped (thankfully I get some time this week, without classes or pressing work, to sleep in and take it easy, even though I'm at work for a few hours every day), but I got to spend time with my family and friends. I'm not ready to be back and am decidedly homesick already, but I suppose once life gets busy again I'll have less time to actively dwell on that. Hopefully this semester won't be underscored by the perpetual homesickness last semester was. I'm looking forward to church and community and what God's got in store with that this semester.