Fall Joys

I love fall! It has always been my favorite season. The others have their charms...dogwoods in the spring, warm summer nights, and snowy winter days, but nothing beats the cool, crisp air of fall. Fall means apples, sweaters, and football. Growing up in the Ozarks, fall also meant gorgeous vistas with a patchwork quilt of colorful trees.

Today is the first true day of fall here in Oklahoma City. The leaves aren't really turning yet, but that first blast of really cool weather is here. It's foggy and damp, just as a pre-Halloween day should be. There is something deep inside that clicks on days like today and makes me want to make mass quantities of chili. I can't explain it.

There are so many small moments of joy to this time of year. I thought about that this past weekend as I held Olivia on my shoulders. She said gleefully, "I'm on top! I'm up on top!" as I swung her around. I know exactly what you mean, Liv! She was giggling in her sweet way, and Caroline was urging David to swing her again and again as she rode on his shoulders. We put them down and chased them around Aunt Betty's lawn, laughing. All was right with the world.

I missed some of the joy of fall last year during my long recovery from heart surgery. I didn't hike in the woods, cooked less of my fall favorites, and didn't feel quite as well as I do now.

But, I did something new last fall: I fell in love with David! We had a wonderful time getting to know and love each other during my favorite time of year. I instantly loved his family as we spent the weekend in Stillwater for his college homecoming. He learned to call the Hogs as we cheered them on Fayetteville. We missed each other greatly as he served in Ukraine last October.

We had one particularly special fall weekend last year. Our arms around each other, we walked through War Eagle Mill. We stopped for long hugs and romantic kisses. We asked others to take pictures of us, after trying self portraits with partial faces in them.

We went to see the Razorbacks play South Carolina on a cold starry night and snuggled together. The leaves fell around us on Mount Sequoyah on that sunny Sunday afternoon. My heart broke, as it always did, when he had to return home. Something was growing between us, and, for the first time, I found myself dreaming about what could be between us in the future.

This year, we are going home to treasure just one fall weekend in the Ozarks. I can't wait to soak up the beauty, the crisp, clean air, and spend time with my family and friends. It will go by too quickly, but I will treasure every moment. Mom, put the chili on the stove and the cornbread in the oven. We're coming home!