There was Christmas. (Magical.) Then New Year’s Eve. (More magic.) There was the snow. (Yes!) There was the extreme cold. (You know the days that were colder than Antarctica. Literally.) There was the casting of lots to see who would make the long trek to the mailbox in the Iowa tundra. (Not. Me. Because I feed you. And reasons.)

And now. It is that weary time of the year when all seems to lie dormant. Dead. Dying. Consequently, we hibernate. Drawing into the cocoon of a cozy house, waiting for winter to pass. (Hurry, Spring.)

Regardless, there are lovely things. Lazy nights sipping tea while playing cards. A well-loved movie, nestled under the warmth of a blanket. The harmonious aroma of hot chili and sweet cinnamon rolls wafting from the kitchen.

Time is shorter than ever. My efforts to keep busyness at bay often fail me and the only constant seems to be coffee. I most often arise at an ungodly hour for my work. Perhaps one of the most exciting things to happen around the homestead in the last couple years is that I now work from home teaching English online to elementary students in China.

I get to stay home and love on my sweet girls and work before they rise each morning. Also, before the sun rises. And often, before my brain rises to the occasion of coherence.

Coffee. Is. Life.

As I stumbled into the kitchen on a recent morning, I opened a fresh bag of coffee in order to prepare the morning brew. (Like insanity-inducing early also known as Beijing Time.) In a complete stupor, I made a clumsy attempt to carefully add the coffee, gave up, and just dumped in a more-than-appropriate amount for good measure. But something wasn’t quite right. My befuddled brain mused as to who could have put what resembled chocolate chips in the coffee bag?

Until it dawned.

Beans. Beans!? Yes, in my hurry at the supermarket, I grabbed beans instead of ground. Darn. It. Because at 3:00 am, the family does not take kindly to awakening by coffee grinder. It is what it is.

But perhaps the single most exciting thing is that we recently moved to a new homestead. New pastures to explore. (Some laden with cow pies. Quite literally.) A fresh piece of small-town Iowa to traverse. Adventure awaits in every sense.

So much coffee and so many stories to share. Stay tuned, Friends.

But for now…

Love & Coffee!