To Pause

It’s the time of year when you wish for your pace to slow.  To pause.  To enjoy the brief days before they become shorter still.  Yet this is the time of year when, alternatively, things get busier.  Our family has seven birthdays just between October 21^st and November 17^th.  On top of that the calendar fills with social events, service projects and very soon, Christmas shopping. (For me anyway- I know many thrifty mamas are already well on their way.  Maybe next year I can manage that.  Maybe.) 

But today the chill in the air and the falling, crunching leaves make me just want to curl up with a good book.  Never mind that I did exactly that yesterday.  Or I could just sit and stare at the tree filling our front window with all its brilliant red glory.  Then again I’d love to simply knit and watch the boys play (that is- if they’d let me.)  Or perhaps I could peruse the internet reading my favorite blogs and searching for Christmas gifts ideas for my little ones, who actually need absolutely nothing but Mommy- ahem, I mean Santa, wants to spoil anyways. 

Instead, I will do more cleaning, organizing and start packing for our quick weekend trip to Michigan for my father-in-law’s 50^th birthday, which my mother-in-law so sweetly offered to us.  We’re right in the thick of everything, with a food drive the week we get back and then preparation for my parents visit to us for Thanksgiving.  After that… well I’ll write about it later. 

Sometimes the busyness can feel overwhelming.   That'swhen I have to remind myself to enjoy the pauses when they come and to otherwise embrace the busy, sometimes chaotic but usually celebratory time of family, friends and love.

Today's Pause...

The Fall of the Year

This is our first fall in Atlanta and I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Autumn is my favorite season.  The last five years we were in Memphis and there I wouldn’t call the months of September through November (or December for that matter) “fall”.  But I’ve been pleasantly surprised here.  I’ve noted places to go apple picking next year.  And except for a few days, its not been too cold, in fact, most of October was actually warmer than I would like… but now its perfect sweater weather.  On top of that, we’re getting beautiful color.  The trees are vibrant reds, perfect yellows, and crispy browns. 

Its such a beautiful season and the colors for me really signify change.  Hayden’s circle time has switched to our November poems and songs and I just love the poem by Ellen Robena Field called A Fall Song.  I think I love it more than he does actually.  He tends to prefer our very active Scarecrow, Scarecrow and Three Red Apples. 

A Fall Song has four parts and I love them all, but one of my favorites is this one:

Now the days grow cold,
As the year grows old,
And the meadows are brown and sere;
Brave robin redbreast
Has gone from his nest,
For this is the Fall of the year.

Yes, the year is growing old.  Thanksgiving is only three weeks away and while I’m reveling in the season I’m also a bit sad that things are going by so fast. Hayden’s birthday came so quickly and the day was so busy that I didn’t even have time to blog about it (I’ll be sure to get pictures of it up though.)  And Mason only started crawling a month ago but he’s already working up the courage to stand up and move along the furniture.  So while I sit and sip on hot apple cider (cinnamon stick included) I reminisce and enjoy the season that our lives are in right now- full of pitter patters and bumps, as well as the actual season. 

I hope you’re enjoying your “fall of the year” just as much as I am.

The view out our window.