Rhyme-Time Tuesday

Today was a snow day. Here is a poem chock full of words that rhyme with snow:

Watch the snow grow slow on the window.
A kid will know to make a show of the snow.
He can throw snow like a pro,
Almost like tae bo, but with snow.
There’s a glow in the snow,
Watch the snow flow down the row.
Snow snow snow snow.

Snow.

In case you hadn’t guessed it, we have a lot of snow here. I am not fond of snow.

Friends and Family

So I’ve been up to many more grown-up things in the last couple weeks, including the exciting task of being a bridesmaid in the wedding of one of my dearest friends from Brazil and attending a two-day communication seminar that intimidated the pants off of me. Also, some great friends (nay, sisters!) of mine were in town to visit, and I got to act as tour guide to what has surprisingly become my ‘hood.

     

What I have come to realize in this, especially as my Brazil/America worlds collided at the wedding I was a part of, is the astounding ability God has to bring people together in unexpected ways. If I took a pen to a map and marked the location of those I hold dearest in life, few would fall within a thousand miles of me. And there is a strange sense of beauty in that.

Whether it’s thousands of miles or no miles at all, though, it makes little difference to the strength of the bond that exists between us. From Arielle across the world in Turkey to Kelley who shares an apartment with me, each of these friendships has taken root in my heart and has profoundly changed who I am and who I aspire to be. There is something to be said for the smallness of the world in regards to God-fostered relationships.

    

Perhaps the most difficult and simultaneously rewarding part of this is seeing how my family fits into the equation. As I sit and write this, my family members are spread out across two countries and several states. There is no such thing as going home on the weekend or stopping in for a visit. What there is instead is schedule synchronization and travel plans and frequent flier miles* and phone calls. Lots of phone calls.

But you know what? It works.

Though my family may be physically far from me, I have never been closer to them. The distance has seen us grow in love and laughter and understanding and compassion. Most importantly, we have learned what it means to be committed to each other in any circumstance, convenient or otherwise. Love takes on new meaning when it is not easy.

My sister sent me this picture earlier today, and it captures my sentiments exactly.

 

* My roommate and I had a legit 10-minute discussion about whether it should be spelled frequent flyer or flier. Grammar rules say i, whereas every single airline website uses a y. No definitive conclusion was arrived at. Thanks for nothing, Google.