... about this fall!
1. The leaves changing colors. A few weekends ago, we drove 4 hours up to Syracuse to visit friends and it was the perfect time of year to do so ... the roads were lined with trees and I was content to pass the time simply by enjoying the amazing colors around us! We also enjoyed a leisurely hike last Sunday, which gave me chance to capture these beautiful fall colors with my camera.
2. Fall foods. Being a dessert person, I love this time of year for its apple crisp, homemade apple sauce, pumpkin muffins, and various pies (though pumpkin is my favorite!) I have also become a fan of the Keurig machine at school since the PTO has kindly provided apple cider K-cups for us non-coffee drinkers. Good thing I don't anticipate putting my bathing suit on any time soon!
3. Fall decorations. I love driving through neighborhoods to see front entryways graced with mums and pumpkins. (But I could do without the disgusting Halloween displays!) Though I don't have many autumn decorations of my own, I have become obsessed with lighting my new pumpkin spice candle every night!
4. Having a student teacher. What a difference it makes to have an extra set of hands in the classroom at all times! I don't know what I am going to do without her come December. I am enjoying it while I can! The last few weeks have been especially nice because she has been taking on more and more responsibilities in the classroom, which means less planning and grading for me! I've enjoyed the opportunities to work with students in smaller groups while she is teaching, as well as plan ahead for upcoming events like field trips and our 2nd grade Thanksgiving chapel.
5. Resting on the Sabbath. As a teacher, it has always been difficult to truly set aside a full day each week to rest ... until now. Thanks to the help of a student teacher, I've been able to get my necessary work done on Saturdays, along with grocery shopping and laundry, so that I can enjoy and focus on God on Sundays. I've used recent Sunday afternoons as opportunities to do things I love that I wouldn't normally have as much time for -- craft projects, visiting with friends, walks with loved ones, being outside. The best part is that my husband (now that he is no longer in grad school) can also now relax on Sundays, so we've enjoyed our Sabbaths together. It is a wonderful feeling not to dread Sundays as a day of preparing for the school week ahead, and to sleep well on Sunday nights having relaxed during the day! I am going to try my very best to stick to this pattern even after my student teacher is finished with her semester.
6. Seeing God's provision. God provided the perfect non-profit ministry job for my husband in late August, and it has been so rewarding to see how happy he is working in this position. Like any new job, this one can be overwhelming at times, but overall I can tell that he is enjoying his day to day activities and feels that God has placed him here for a reason. It has been especially gratifying to see how (in just 2 months on the job) God has provided for the ministry in times of need. Right when we start to worry that the food pantry shelves are looking sparse, or that the monthly bills won't be paid on time, God provides through generous donors. I love coming home to hear my husband's work stories about God's miraculous provision, and it is a continual reminder that God provides for us at home too.
Though I am a summer-lover through and through, this fall has definitely had its perks! Giving thanks for it all ...
awesome!! love your pictures
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