I spent six days with my dear college friend Tina and her family in Park City, Utah.  Tina is a working mother of two, currently supporting her household after her husband, like millions of American around the country, lost his job in the age of COVID.  So before I arrived I asked Tina what she needed in support.  I had assumed her answer would be some female decompression and play time.  Yet her response was that she just wanted me to be there, and connect with her family.  So that is what we did!  We went camping, on walks with her youngest son, watched the Social Dilemma documentary with her oldest son to her parents’ house for celebratory birthday drinks for her dad, and for each weeknight I cooked dinner for the family.  I did the grocery shopping and cooking, so that every night, her husband didn’t have to worry about it and could spend more time with the kids when they returned from school.  Then the five of us would all sit down for dinner together and connect.  I learned about their passions, their creativity, what they were learning in school (and even learned new things from them!).  I asked them “what are you grateful for?”  My heart was warmed when her youngest said he was grateful for the wonderful dinner on the table and her husband was grateful for me preparing them so he had the support and could relax (my exact intent!).  We also shared each of our thoughts on “one is thing we most enjoyed from the day and one thing that was most challenging?”  It was through this time at the dinner table and and asking meaningful questions, that we could just be and connect more deeply.  I loved truly getting to know her kids and left feeling closer to the whole family.