February has been a conflicting month. Having an unusually long winter break that lasted through the month of January meant that I didn't actually return to my little apartment and routine until the second to last day of January. But then there was unpacking to be done and things to get in order, and then it was February. And just like that January had come and gone. And now, so has February.
Mike visited over Valentine's Day and we had the most wonderful weekend. Around Valentine's Day last year we were just coming into a serious relationship and this year we celebrated as an engaged couple! And when I think about that, it seems so surreal just how much can happen in a year. It also makes me feel accomplished and at peace at the same time, seeing how we've grown as a couple and getting a glimpse of what the years ahead will hold. Our celebration this year was a perfect display of that growth. I had to spend the day teaching and in meetings, but Mike came to campus with me. Our hour-long drive home ended up being a three-hour adventure since a heavy snow had quickly blanketed much of Indiana earlier that afternoon, but it was actually kind of wonderful being stuck in the car together travelling 30 mph down the highway. By the time we reached Bloomington at 8 pm we were both ravenous, and we were even more excited than usual for our dinner at My Thai. We headed home, promptly changed into our pjs, made a batch of red and pink m&m chocolate chip cookies while watching a few episodes of Modern Family and were in bed by 11. The rest of the weekend was spent playing with bulldogs, wandering around Indianapolis, and dining at new restaurants and old favorites.
Mike left, but the weather warmed up, and everyone got their first taste of spring. Students were a little less grumpy and very chatty, and it seemed that spring break was right around the corner. I raced toward the end of data collection, and felt like, for once, I had a timeline that I could stick to. And then...it got cold again. But this time windy and cold. And instead of looking forward to light salad or baked potato for dinner, I craved stick-to-your-ribs meals like chicken and dumplings with mashed potatoes and cornbread. I still moved ahead with my research, but when I got home all I wanted to do was curl up with the kittypuss and fall asleep while watching TV.
It's still cold, but the sunshine that now accompanies the cold seems to be reminding us that it can't remain this way much longer. And I've got two weeks' worth of visiting with Mike coming up in March with both of our spring breaks, so I have no choice but to be super productive now. Not to mention, I've got a deadline, people! It feels good to be racing toward the finish line, especially knowing that the last week of March will be filled with visits with family and friends and wedding planning!
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