a wintry weekend with friends

Every October since I was a freshman in college, a big group of our friends pile into a few cars packed high with sleeping bags, hot chocolate and the makings for grilled cheese sandwiches and head to the mountains in Virginia, where one friend's grandparents have a house. We stop at Meredith's parents' house on the way for a bbq dinner and then head up north, getting in when it's late and usually pretty cold. We spend the weekend playing games by the fire, hiking, catching up and - when we were still at UNC - enjoying Fall Break and not thinking about schoolwork. This year, we continued the tradition for a fifth year, but we couldn't get our schedules aligned any earlier than this past weekend. And so, with a our winter weekend getaway, came snow! It had melted away from the roads, but was still on the ground and trees and it was absolutely beautiful. It was bitterly cold, so we spent most of the time inside. I'm convinced that aside from snowball fights and snow angels, snow quiets the earth so we can rest. And while the topic of conversations has shifted from quirky professors and exams to health insurance and company Christmas parties, it was amazing how we were able to pick up right where we left off.

So this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for friends.