Wednesday

Thankful Thursday: October 1st

Welcome, Sweet Friend October!

Alas, the September days have surrendered to your flirty orange charm...

...You have wooed us with your mums and chocolate drizzled treats. We are in awe of your beauty and admit our fascination with your vibrant color strokes. Your power over changing seasons is alluring; clearly, you have left us no choice but to stare in wide-eyed wonder.

I want to publicly thank you for your crisp mornings, your carpets of crunchy leaves, and the gentle reminders of Octobers Past.

The magical memories of festivals, costumes, and seedless pumpkin smiles dance in my head. I chuckle at the costumes of yore and cruise ideas online for my Favorite Pumpkin's second October experience. (Although I find it strange to be saying "that's a skeleton, honey" every time his chubby pointer asks me 'what is that, Mama?' upon entering a store these days...)

And then I think about important Octobers of my life.

October 1997: I received my college acceptance letter--it was a huge deal. I had dreamt of studying there since I was about 5 years old (I have proof in my little girl journal). I danced and cried with joy! I was and still am thankful for that letter!

October 1999: The first group date that Mr. H & I remember together...though we weren't there together-together.
Even though we weren't together-together, I'm thankful for that fun night...prelude to the prelude...

October 2001: Acceptance to BYU Study Abroad in Spain!!
I was beyond thankful. I was giddy, over-the-moon, excited-beyond-belief thankful. It was a dream come true.

(6 months later I withdrew from the study abroad program in order to prepare for a mission...I am thankful for the guidance and direction through study & prayer to take me to the next big experience)

October 2002: The very first (of many, many) life changing hours, days, and weeks of my experience as a missionary in Portugal. I am so thankful for those first very new, fresh days of one of the most intense and wonderful times of my life.

October 2003: The beginning of the end of my 18 month missionary life... Again, I am grateful for such an amazing collection of moments to be serving & learning.

October 2004: First married Fall...gorgeous! What can I say? Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude.

October 2007: Due date for our first pregnancy, exciting news of the next (which ended with Toddler J's birth!) I am thankful for the heartache and the blessing!

October 2008: Our last Fall in Murray, KY (My thoughts last October 1st, & J's first Pumpkin Patch photos) A lovely time for our family, I am thankful for every element of those days!

...which brings us to now...

Perhaps our most exciting fall yet!
And my heart is full of October love...
...what about you?

3 comments:

It's Me - Jen E! said...

I do love the fall - the crunchy leaves on the ground, the trip to the apple orchard, the roaring fire place, the pies baking in the oven, eating more stews and soups because it's chilly outside. And speaking of chilly - October 1st brought with it ice on the car windows that had to be scraped this morning! (that, I can do without)

JosephJ said...

Ten years ago next weekend I went on an AWESOME campout with a bunch of my buddies up in the uintas. We climbed an 11,000 foot peak, slept 4 people in a 3 person tent, enjoyed seeing snow beside a glacier lake. Then I came home, cleaned up, ran some errands to prepare for my first date for my would-be wife. We borrowed two cars from the H&V children, made manicotti, and enjoyed a great dinner before going to a dance on an old steam train. Now THAT is what October is to me! Rushing around trying to get the most out of each beautiful weekend!

Linda said...

Ah! October. The first thing that came to mind was Trick or Treat for Unicef and the Halloween we walked literally miles...beyond our normal neighborhood all the way over near the high school and elementary school. I must have been 10 or 11. I had on some plaid taffeta dress...and not so comfy shoes!

My mom's birthday. I miss my mom.

Camping in the smokey mountains. The smell of a campfire and the gurgle of the creek. Good friends, Good fun. Walking the streets of Gatlinburg with my sister.

Going up Provo canyon to listen to conference on the Radio on a quilt! Every year of conference since..splendid fall!

Making a Snoopy-themed Halloween Bulletin board for the classroom where I student taught at Timpanogas Elementary.

Finding creative ways to dress the kids at Halloween. Fall Festivals at Rock Creek School. Hayrides of my youth, and our Spaghetti Suppers. The tiny glass prizes won at the booths there.

Watching THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN
with our kids!

Enjoying the crisping up of life in general. The coloring up of the world around us. The juxtaposition of bright blue sky against oranges, yellows and reds of the trees. The cooling in the air, the rustling of leaves.

Enjoying my skylights!

What I don't like about Fall? Daylight savings time. Dark before dinner. Stolen afternoons.