This afternoon is what it’s all about…
Let me tell you.
After a slow start to the morning, I began cooking lunch for Gabriel’s lunch hour. What a pleasant hour it was, filled with French toast, scrambled eggs, frozen blueberries, French press coffee, and an episode of Heroes. After this, I embarked on an adventure that was quite ambitious for me: my first Pumpkin Cheesecake. With a twist on three different recipes, I created my own with a gingersnap crust, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; it promises to be tasty even if the presentation flops. I attempted to make a pumpkin pie smoothie the other day (one of my greatest joys in life, no exaggeration), and it was a miserable failure… more like pumpkin-soymilk-and-spices juice. Nasty, to say the least, but I drank it ALL so as not to waste. Pumpkin Cheesecake, take my heart, but please don’t break it.
My hair got moody and suddenly decided to lie flat yesterday, after sticking straight up for a good 5 weeks or so. I can’t even try to make it look like it did before yesterday. Now it really looks like a boy hair style. I don’t mind, but Gabe asks that I please do SOMETHING to change it since right now it looks just like his. Ha ha! I find this whole situation very humorous. I still love my short hair, although yesterday I very nearly almost for a split second missed my long hair because I saw a picture of when I wore it straight and blonde in the front. Even when it’s long again, I’m going to try to resist the urge to bleach it again.
My long work streak is over and now I’m back to my normal schedule, which is refreshing though not as financially productive. I got to go to church on Sunday and totally chill for the rest of the day with Gabriel. It was absolutely glorious. Tonight is small group. And tomorrow I might hang out with a friend or two if I get all my errands done. Today my goal is to get the apartment clean, though motivation is slow in coming.
October has not failed me yet. So far it has brought nothing but joy, including the wedding of my friend and boss Rachel Cornwell, a reunion with my college friend Jessica Tracy, the birth of a friend’s baby (or actually, a few of them), the revival of pumpkiny goodness in all of my favorite seasonal recipes, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, something October may NOT bring is our new house. Our original plan was to try to purchase a house this month, but employment has become a more difficult issue than expected, so it may be a few months before this dream comes to fruition. That’s okay. The tax credit would’ve been nice, but I’d rather act wisely in every step of this big decision, than move quickly and dramatically increase my stress level. Still, there’s still a possibility of us going forward with this soon, but only if all factors involved are quick to fall into place. In the mean time, I’m having fun playing around with color schemes in my head, imagining my kids running around and growing up in our future home.
This has always been an emotional and almost nostalgic season for me. I can’t help but remember where I was this time last year. I was insanely happy, making trips to the library to study astronomy and Japanese art, looking for shapes in the stars at night, planning my trip to buy my wedding dress, drinking pumpkin pie smoothies, hanging out with some very dear friends… I was very happy, but very anxious that it would somehow end because I hadn’t ever felt that happy before in my life. It did end for a time, so I was right to guard my heart. I had some heartbreaking things happen to me the following month. But God used every cut and tear to reconstruct my heart to trust Him. I cry even now thinking about His tenderness toward me. Even before God has ever allowed my heart to break, He always prepares me in some way, either through a dream, a word from a friend, or a Scripture verse. He has always been so faithful to me. It is only through Him that sorrow and loss become healing and restoration. And now, here, in October 2009, I am the most blessed girl on the planet. I have a faithful friend as a husband, my beautiful family loves me, and my joy has been redefined in so many ways that I never could have imagined.
Things I love today:
*My loving best friend Gabriel
*Beirut
*Sufjan Stevens
*Jose Gonzalez, particularly “Heartbeats”
*Autumn air
*Helping people (work)
*Crochet
*Football (Gabe even made a fantasy football team for me)
*Wings & beer
*Long-sleeved t-shirts
*Books on CD
*Our little apartment
I could say more, but I really need to get to my chores. Much love to all of you on this beautiful day!
