i have been one acquainted with the night

Usually I'm not a huge fan of Robert Frost, probably because of the entire semester I spent in IB English my senior year diagramming his poems (when I would rather have been discussing Anna Karenina), but it seemed appropriate in this case.

I am happy to report, however, that in this case my acquaintance with the night was with the actual outside night rather than pacing-the-floor-with-infant kind of night. Juliet seems like she's beginning to get a better grasp on this whole sleeping thing, so I was able to go work out this morning. It's funny how much I missed being up before the rest of the world. Having kids means I usually never get to go anywhere after the sun sets, and it was lovely this morning to look up at the stars and then watch the sun rise. And feel that first crispness of the air which means my absolute favorite time of year is on its way--FALL!!!! Hurrah for apple cider, pumpkins, sweaters, football games, and crunchy leaves. I love love love fall! Neil and I used to have a tradition that we would go up into the mountains every year to drive the Alpine Loop and look at the first fall colors. I sorely missed that last year--we'll have to find an alternate route around here, although it won't quite be the same, since the Alpine Loop drive was our second date. Oh, memories. I love that man. How could a girl not want to marry someone who brings home-grown apples and the last of his Philippino dried mangos on such a drive? (and who handed her a sack of yummy brownies when she opened the door on their first date, and then proceeded to follow it up with peach leather and popcorn while we watched an outdoor movie on the grass by Heritage Halls? I knew I'd keep dating him when the brownies came out, and knew he was a keeper when I saw the peach leather!)

In other news, I may not be blogging much over the next week or so—I’m heading up to my parents’ house with the girls so that Neil can get in some seriously intense studying for the quals, which are only two weeks away! Keep him in your prayers!