Longing for Brighter Days

Every summer, there is a part of me that longs for colder days; I have a somewhat nostalgic view of wintertime - snuggled together under blankets, reading stories, doing crafts, and teaching the girls to sew.  Now that we are deep within the throws of winter and have been house-bound due to abnormally cold weather, sickness, and me being more inactive than usual due to being eight months pregnant, the days are long and I am certainly feeling anything but nostalgic.  These are the days where I work on thanking God for the small things - listening to the big girls read outloud to Clara, Miriam sitting down making a coded message for daddy, our schoolwork being completed each day, and those rare moments where we can get outside for a much needed winter walk.  My soul longs for brighter days spent outside, but for now, I will settle for a warm cup of tea, three smiling faces, and a few moments outside.