Rob came to Roanoke to visit this weekend and on Sunday afternoon I lay in bed with my head on his shoulder, thinking about the days we spent in a long-distance relationship. Earlier that morning the rain poured down outside and we made egg sandwiches and pot after pot of coffee, and even though I'll be home again on Wednesday, I couldn't help but feel a little melancholy knowing he was going to be back on the road before long.

I had almost forgotten those long distance vibes: the gloomy Sundays and the long goodbyes; the extra-long brunches or Netflix marathons and maybe just one more cup of coffee--there was always a sadness that hung over the second half of the weekend and I felt it a lot yesterday.

But our life is together now--no more flights or long drives; instead we wake up together, eat breakfast in our apartment, share a car, go out for drinks after work, and do all the other day to day things we used to dream about when we lived half a continent apart.

So yesterday as Rob packed his bag and drove away I actually marveled at my luck--what a treasure to find the person you never want to say goodbye to, and then to live a life full of hellos together.

I poured iced coffee into a jar yesterday afternoon and thought about Virginia.

It was 40 degrees and sunny outside, and my apartment was clean and I had fresh tulips sitting on the table, still waiting to fully bloom. I love living in Minneapolis, I really do. There's something about the city and the people and the food that makes me feel extremely understood.

But I don't have anyone to run with here, no one to drop by for tea on a random afternoon. These past six and a half months with Rob have truly felt like a blessing--like a chance to make up for the time we might have lost over the year that we were so far from one another--but there are days where I think we both would love to just have one or two of our best friends around for drinks or a laid-back weekend brunch.

I know that at some point, I will have to stop fantasizing about the time I spent as a student, because there is never going to be another time where all of my friends can drop what they're doing to just hang out. Shawna and I won't always just have an hour or two in the middle of the afternoon to meet for coffee, or decide to drink a pitcher of mimosas on a porch, or go on a quick run down our favorite trail in Charlottesville. There isn't a realistic new version of the story where Tina and her sister and I go to lunch and then spend the rest of the afternoon all cuddled up together in my bed, watching some episode of Grey's Anatomy.

But these are my favorite memories--the ones where I meet my mom for lunch every day and hang out with my dad on the lake every weekend; where almost all of the people I love are just an arm's reach away. I carry them with me everywhere I go, to every place I'll ever call home. And maybe one day, I can return to that world for good and put them down on a mantle somewhere, where they will be safe and I can start to make new ones.

Minneapolis might understand me, but Virginia knows me.

This post is in response to the following prompt: "What's been on your mind? What have you carried and gnawed over?" (From Old Friend from Far Away, page 154.) If you've written a response of your own, please share it below in the comments! 

P.S. Visit this post for next week's prompt.

I can't believe we're already a few days into February--it was a year ago this past weekend that Rob moved out here on his own to pursue an amazing career opportunity. I know the six months he spent alone here weren't easy (Minnesota's winters can be rough enough even when you aren't on your own), but I am so grateful and overwhelmingly proud of that man of mine for being smart and successful and brave enough to set out into unfamiliar territory to make our future so much brighter. How's that for some sap first thing on a Monday morning? I spent the weekend thinking about it a lot. I'm so glad we're here together now.

January was a really full month. Alt Summit was fabulous, but there were a lot of lovely moments that took place right here in Minneapolis. I'd say 2014 is off to a really great start. And for the record, VSCO CAM has sort of kind of changed my life.

1. New Year's Day Coffee in bed. The best way to begin 2014.

2. Saturday afternoon movie date. | 3. Fresh snow is my new love language.

4. Evening walks around Uptown.

5. Frozen Minnehaha Falls | 6. Butter-making aerobics. It's a thing.

7. A snowy walk around Lake Normandale. | 8. Making a "Sean List" for my brother's visit this week!

9. Went ice skating in Rice Park and it was so beautiful. I'm now obsessed with the Landmark Center.

What did January look like in your world?

Life Lately According to Instagram is a once-monthly feature in which I showcase my favorite Instagram shots. You can follow along with me in real-time if you'd like--I'm @megan_flynn.