Fall. This time, it's real.

Today is such a beautiful day. It's the first day of fall, and it truly feels that way. I always know that it's fall when I get overwhelmed by a feeling of nostalgia for Basque Country. The months that I spent there were in the fall, and I just miss it at this time of year. The cold (if you can call 70 degrees cold) humid feeling, the way the air smells, leaves twirling from trees, cigarette smoke, clouds, rain... It all reminds me of San Sebastian. Oh, I miss that place sometimes.

I went for a walk this morning (after reading / finishing my book in bed until 11:30am) in one of the two huge parks that are within a mile of our apartment.

Have I mentioned how much I love this city?

[The above photos were taken with my phone. Yes, I love it.]

We booked our flight to California... We'll be there the end of December. It will be the first time I've ever spent Christmas apart from my family. I'm not too happy about it, but I am glad that we can get out there at all! It will have been a year since we have been back to California... I'm often nostalgic for that place, as well. Probably more so than for San Sebastian, as I did in fact live in California longer than three months.

And we leave for Chicago in three weeks! I'm so excited to see the place that my love grew up, spend time with Jenny, enjoy a mid-western fall weekend, and spend time some great people. Oh, and a mini-vacation from work is always nice.

I'll leave you with this. I am so glad to get to wear pants again, after the past four months of 90+ degree weather.

Work.

Today I went with my coworkers and some of the residents to a time where everyone from the Mission gathered together to worship and fellowship. It was nice, and fun, but one part really stuck out to me.

They were giving out awards (5 and 10 years of employment with the Mission). Two of the five year awards were given to cleaning ladies. One of them didn't speak English, so they brought up someone to translate. And I have never been prouder to be a part of this organization (and I'm often quite proud). Where some people would push the cleaning ladies under the rug, never acknowledge their presence or how hard they work to keep our facilities clean, or tell them: "This is America. Speak English" - The CEO of the Mission and all of us honored them for their service. It was amazing.

Time.

David and I watched "The Notebook" this week. The last time I watched it, I was 18 years old and in the very beginning of my first year of college. I had no idea what the next five years would bring. Let me tell you, watching that movie as a 23 year old married woman is a whole lot different than watching it as an 18 year old who has never been kissed.

Labor day weekend was so good. I am thankful for friends that will float around a pool with me for hours, talking about life and love and work, and that inspire me to be greater and do greater things. I love riding my bike around this city with my husband, dodging traffic and enjoying our neighborhood pub.

And I've once again come to my morning off... Warmed by the sun on the couch, with a cup of homemade iced coffee next to me. This is good. And I have homemade lasagna to look forward to tonight at work... Good conversations, quality time with the children and women that I am growing more and more to love.

September.

Is it September already? Time passes quickly and slowly these days. I'm currently enjoying a morning off. I'm working the late shift tonight, and so far I'm enjoying the change. We'll see how it goes at work tonight, though...

My plan: Ride my bike to City Park, with a blanket overflowing in my basket. Take a walk, enjoy the September sun, lay down to read "The Good and Beautiful Life".

Tuesday nights are the best. When friends bring imported ginger cat cookies (for people) to The Flat, we sit around and eat muffins with almost too many ingredients in them and talk about life. About how to be peacemakers; how to bring the Kingdom here to earth; how to really live and love and that it's okay to get angry sometimes. I am starting to love these people that gather in our living room every week, and I'm so glad we get to share our lives. It's crazy to think that I've only known some of them since the beginning of the summer. Most of them, actually. Amazing how life can change.

Amazing how God goes above and beyond our expectations for our lives.

I'm thankful for my husband who holds me up when I can't do it myself. Even if I don't have the words, he knows and is just there.

I'm thankful for gummy smiles and baby laughs, for made-up words and being called "muh-lise".

And three day weekends never hurt anyone!