Today I am thankful for: HOME.

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday have one thing in common: I get to be at home with my family. As I write I am sitting with Olive on my lap, watching TV, in our comfy recliner, with my mom next to me. This cannot be something I take for granted.

I would say a large majority of my fellow on-campus students won’t even see their families monthly. Many are international or out of state, who spend an entire semester away. Calvin being within an hour’s drive was the main reason I chose it over similar schools farther away. While some love the complete independence that college brings, I much prefer time here than that spent in my dorm.

Home doesn’t just encompass the physical structure of where we live. It is being in the presence of my family, having our four-legged friends within reach, my mom’s cooking, the place I’ve grown up in, warmth, chats with my mom over our favorite shows.

More and more, I’m realizing that this is all part of God’s glorious blessings. He made my family the way we needed to be. My home isn’t all rainbows and butterflies, but it’s perfectly imperfect for me.