The last Friday of October

Today is the last Friday of October, and it's another absolutely gorgeous day.  I'm not sure I remember the last time there was even a cloud in the sky.  Tomorrow clouds return, but that's okay.  Temps are still in the 70's (ugh), but it gets cold at night.

I got off work early today because we didn't have students.  I've been off for 4-1/2 hours or so, and the best part...I don't go back to work until Wednesday.  This is absolutely wonderful!!  I started a fall puzzle tonight, I've got my candle lit, and after tomorrow the Halloween decorations get put away, and the Thanksgiving decorations come out.  Right now, at this moment in time, I'm able to feel an incredible amount of peace.

And I've felt just about anything but that this week.  There has been some emotional drama in our family, and I've learned before, and practiced many times, to just lift it all up in prayer and know that I can only do so much to affect the situation.  I'm also missing my husband, who still has football tonight.  I don't mind the ten weeks that he stats each year.  In fact, I kind of enjoy the very quiet Friday nights I have on those nights.  But ten is enough as far as I'm concerned.  Playoffs started tonight, and although our team is an underdog, I just found out they are currently ahead.  Plenty of game remains, though. :)

This evening, I'm just so full of gratitude overall for this moment in time.  There are more blessings than I can even count, and we are headed into the two best months of the entire year!

I am over this weather

 I have to admit, I am NOT at all thrilled that tomorrow's high is going to be 79 degrees.  It's been in the 70's for weeks now.  I am grateful that hasn't been warmer, but it can be cooler and still be beautiful out!

Regardless of the temps, I am so, so grateful for today.  It is early day at our school, which means students are dismissed 45 minutes earlier than the rest of the week.  Classroom staff uses this time for meetings or other planning, but for me I get to head on home.  Andrew arrived home shortly after I did, and it has been a truly wonderful evening.  I got some things done, but I've also been able to truly relax.  At least until one of my adult children called to explain some drama.  Parenting is not for the faint of hear, but parenting young adults is ridiculous at times.  Ugh.

Only three days of October remain, and then we head into the month of gratitude.  I have plenty of that, even on crazy days.

My birthday

Today I recognize another trip around the sun, and I have completed 53 rotations.  Normally I would say I "celebrated", but that isn't quite the case today.  My day began a little roughly, as the last dream I had before I work up was about my friend who passed 20 months ago.  In the dream, Ryan was there and he was good, and then I woke up and realized none of that was true.  Because I hadn't slept much, it made me incredibly emotional, and I couldn't stop crying, even at work.  I wasn't at work long, though, as I had offered to make the 70 minute trip to Thomas's house in order to be there for some utility work that needed completed.  It was expected to be a quick fix, and I was looking forward to my afternoon off on a lovely day!  Instead, I was there 5-1/2 hours while everything under the sun went wrong for these poor utility workers, and I finally made it home at almost 7:30 this evening.  My wonderful husband brought in dinner, and now I'm ready for bed.

One other note, my sister has been worried that she has seen some cognitive decline in my mother.  I wasn't convinced as I hadn't seen it, but the fact that Mom never sent me birthday wishes today certainly is notable.  I'm not going to lie, September and October have been emotional and a bit stressful.

A dedication, 75 years, Reformation, and other things

Today was a busy Sunday, and it kind of mirrored our week.  It was a very full day at church today.  In addition to being Reformation Sunday, our church celebrated our 75th anniversary, and we also dedicated our new pipe organ.  There was a meal between the service and the afternoon recital, but I didn't feel well enough to attend that.  The assistant to the Bishop was in attendance, and overall, it was a really lovely day at church.  As Council President, Andrew was there for the duration.

Yesterday I made my weekly trip to work at Mom's house.  We did make some decent progress, and even more so, it was an absolutely gorgeous drive.  While I'm appreciate of the beautiful sunshine we've had for weeks, I wouldn't mind cooler weather.  It is the END of October, time to retire the 70's!  Regardless, the view scenery was amazing.  We then had some colleagues over in the evening.

Friday, Andrew had a football game, and Thursday, he worked his final athletic event of the fall.  Wednesday we had church council, and then made a trip to Thomas's house.  It's not my story to share, but he was struggling and needed his parents.  He is okay overall, and I'm so grateful that I was able to hug him and love on him a bit.

Another week is about to begin, and we are just a week away from November.  I'm really looking forward to the holidays, and I'm so grateful for the family I will get to celebrate with over the coming month!

I'm grateful for this weekend

It's been such a wonderful weekend, although as always, too short.  While Friday was rainy and wet, yesterday was less cloudy, and today was absolutely gorgeous.  Today, I made a trip up to work at my mom's house, and then we made another trip to the Dayton area to have dinner with lifelong friends.  They were gorgeous drives and it was a lovely evening.

Yesterday's football didn't go entirely how we had hoped, but both games were really great games.  Andrew was home early afternoon, and we had no where else we needed to be the rest of the day.  The house was picked up, and it was so nice to have a fire in the fire place.  And potato soup for dinner, and a bottle of wine.

The middle of October is the beginning of my favorite time of year.  A month from today we'll be almost ready to be off for the week for Thanksgiving.  I'm incredibly full of gratitude already.

This is the best

"My" weather has finally arrived.  Not only is it really chilly, but there was even some drizzle today.  My house is cold, and I LOVE IT!  I have a candle lit, and it's a Friday night, headed into a Saturday where there are two huge football games and I have no where I have to be all day.  I'm a little sad that Andrew is at the football game this evening, but overall I'm just so grateful for this moment in time.  So, so grateful.

The middle of the week in the middle of the month

I had to make a drive to Thomas's house today.  The leaves are starting to change, and I enjoyed the scenery.  It was cloudy and overcast, but I could still appreciate the view.  Unfortunately, I am sitting in my house with the air conditioner on.  Yesterday the area broke the 98-year record high.  Fortunately, the humidity wasn't awful, but that changed later in the evening, and although it was more moderate today, the humidity was horrific.  I am not interested in feeling this sticky this late in the season!  By this weekend though, the highs will be in the 50's.  Woohoo!  I just mentioned to Andrew that we could even have potato soup this weekend.  My kind of weather is almost here!  And on top of the weather, there are BIG football games on this weekend and they involve my teams.  Fun weekend coming up.  Andrew even has Friday off, so his weekend is even better.

I'm really looking forward some quiet evenings as the fall sports season is coming to an end.  We'll have about five weeks or so before he'll have to start working events again.  Things are good!