It’s been pretty non-stop around here – work travel, intense kid activities, volunteer commitments. And a storm of work is ahead. The holidays are ahead, along with family visits (both hosting and traveling), more kid activities, and the usual crush of preparation. My kids are joyfully preparing to host their cousins and other family members in a few weeks for Thanksgiving.

Today my younger daughter does not have school. It’s not one of those crisp autumn days that make me think of football games and apple picking. It’s November-in-Minnesota cold and gloomy out there, so we bundled up and took the dog for a long walk, made cocoa, and started a fire in the fireplace. My daughter is making felt penguins to use to decorate our house. My dog is curled up on the couch next to me, asleep in the warmth of fire glow.

There are so many things I should be doing right at this moment: work things, home things, random things. There’s so much to do, and when I look ahead, I wonder how I will do it all. I probably won’t do it all, but I have some confidence that what I do finish will be enough, even if I take today to delight in the sleepiness of this afternoon.

I’m grateful for all of the activities of our lives – I’m grateful for the way our house buzzes with activity most of the time. I’m equally grateful for a little space in time with one of my daughters and my dog. Even the sleepiness today feels like a sheer gift.