a list and a list

I miss:
My apartment, a quiet sanctuary against the noise of the world;
My friends, who know me as I am now and not who I was when I was 15, or 25, or 38;
My kiddos, sweet, infuriating goofballs;
My classroom and the printer;
Routine;
The dumpling place and the Vietnamese place;
The Starbucks by my school (and yes, okay, the barista — I’m weak and foolish);
Being somewhere that Valentine’s Day is not A Thing.

I am grateful for:
My mom;
My best friend Erin;
My family who loves me;
The doggos;
Cold weather;
Unblocked internet and Netflix;
Crepes at the local cafe;
Grocery stores where I recognize everything on the shelves;
Craft stores (although my wallet is not grateful);
Face-to-face conversations;
The sky over the desert;
My friends, scattered across time zones, and their extraordinary kindness.