I often daydream about seasons long before they ever show up.

I wish the last few weeks of summer away with dreams of crunchy leaves and woolen socks. The day after Thanksgiving, I'm consumed with thoughts of twinkly lights and a cozy white Christmas spent by the fireplace.

And now we're in February, where I've already ordered several iced coffees; finding myself so incredibly ready for spring. I could try to blame this on the extra long and extra cold winters here in Minneapolis, but I've done this my whole life.

I love looking forward to things. My brother arrived late last night and I've been looking forward to his trip for months. I have a lot to look forward to, but even the most routine of things--autumn, winter, spring, summer--cause me to create countdowns and celebrate every little day we get closer to the goal. Maybe it's good, to be so enthusiastic about the future, but a lot of the time, I feel like I'm missing out on what's directly surrounding me.

So this season, I will try to sit in the present without wishing it away. I want to do more than accept what is in front of me--I want to be thankful for it. For extra snow and a new experience. For this long winter before Rob and I begin our marriage and start figuring out what's next for us. This most likely could be my last Minnesota winter, so I want to hold on to it. My brother is here for five days and there are hot beverages to drink and frozen waterfalls to see.

These winters are long, but they're good. My sundresses can wait.

Happy Monday! What a full weekend this has been--we started on Saturday morning by getting ready for guests to arrive that afternoon for Sean's graduation party. My friend Tina came with her boyfriend and their little puppy and we had so much fun. Tina is one of my best friends but we just never get to see each other. I'm so glad she's starting a summer position at a law firm in town today so we'll have almost two full months for coffee and lunch dates.

After the party Rob and I headed to Charlotteville for UVA's graduation, where he would walk and make his master's official. We were driving back home last night and we talked about how some weekends require another weekend just to catch up on sleep and relax from so many festivities, and this was one of them. Luckily the two of us both took today and tomorrow off of work, so we'll be hanging out at home, going out to lunch with some more friends, and finally seeing The Great Gatsby tonight! But until then, here are photos from the weekend.

Every year, my mom plants an herb garden. This year we also got some salad bowls! Lettuce in one pot and arugula in another. This is always one of my favorite things--I love cooking something in the kitchen and being able to just randomly go outside for some fresh basil or chives.

We planted these about two weeks ago and they're growing further already. Spring is here and summer is on the way!

There is a distinct feeling of weekend mornings, especially those in spring.

They are cool and wet, sometimes rainy, mostly smelling of sunscreen, and if you've ever spent a year or two living with a man who is now halfway across the country from you, then they can be lonely.

Spring comes back to me every year, carrying memories tied to scents and songs that remind me of some life I used to have. The most recent life that has been visiting me lately is the one last year where I hardly made enough money to pay my rent each month and daydreamed about a job with a desk and no beverage cooler to organize; one that wouldn't chip my nail polish every time I reached into the sink to get an espresso cup.

Two years ago (which is amazing to say, because that Christmas does not feel two years ago yet), I got a beautiful watch for Christmas, and I put it in its little box on my dresser and waited for the day that I could wear it to a job where I was neither a barista nor a graduate student, and could wear a watch that was not waterproof or a pretty shirt without fear of spilling something onto myself.

It's almost been a year since I moved back home, I thought yesterday as I drove away from the office that allows me to dress up and wear my watch without fear, the one that challenges me in a new way every day. A year ago, Rob and I were packing up the apartment we shared together in Charlottesville. We were going out for brunch and taking walks around our neighborhood together.

When I think about the distance to Minnesota, or even just to DC, I am amazed and sometimes appalled that at one time, I had Rob in the same city, living at the same address, eating dinner at the same table, falling asleep and waking up in the same bed as me, every day. I don't know if we realized, at the time, just how good it was. We definitely didn't realize, at the time, just how far away from each other we'd end up a year later.

Things then might have been simple and easy and full of love, but they weren't nearly as promising as the things we have now because of our sacrifices. Now things are complicated and hard, but still full of love, which is the thing that I am quickly realizing matters the most.

There is always something about this specific place in time, now, that is so difficult to grab onto with anything but impatience.

Here's to patience.

Shannon is my friend Patrick's older sister, and our parents live next-door to one another. She's getting married in a few weeks and I was so happy to be able to help set up a sweet bridal shower for her this weekend.