November 9

My cold dictated that I lie low today, so that's what I did, for the most part.

I didn't sleep particularly well last night because of the congestion, so I woke up feeling groggy. And then I looked out into the backyard, saw this, and was struck by the vibrant beauty.

I know I've said this or something like it multiple times now, but it's still true: God is the master of beautiful artwork. And these Fall trees are just so gorgeous. 

So for the amazing art that God creates for us to enjoy during each season, I am grateful, because it certainly brightens up my blah days.

November 8

I was sitting on the rental car shuttle heading back to the airport this morning when I glanced over at these two and did a double take.

I consulted with Brady to be sure that I was truly seeing what I thought I was seeing, and he confirmed that they were indeed sitting in exactly the same position. Adam moved his hand up just as I took this pic, but before he did, they were like twinsies.

It made me chuckle. I can always see bits and pieces of myself in my girl, but I don't always see Adam. And then I saw this and... yep. She's her dad's daughter.

So for the blessing of their relationship and more broadly, of a pleasant weekend visiting Isaac, I am grateful. (Now if my cold would go away and my ears would pop, I'd be golden.)

November 7

What a wonderful Saturday it was. And busy.

It began with brunch at Saga with Isaac and his friend John, who is an engineering student from China. (Isaac doesn't like it when I make him stop and smile for pictures, so I have to take them in the moment. So... yeah.) I peppered John with questions about his hometown and LeBron James (because Isaac said he's a big basketball fan) and marveled as he managed to eat several plates loaded with a wide variety of foods.

Then we went to the Wheaton versus Elmhurst football game, which was a very one-sided affair. Wheaton came into the game undefeated and left the game still undefeated after posting a 52-0 final score. Although the air was chilly, the sun was out and the sky was a beautiful blue so it felt quite comfortable. It was particularly fun to watch Abby interact with Kam from the stands as she cheered; I know my girl misses her cheer days.

We had a little bit of extra time afterward, so we went back to Isaac's dorm and played a few hands of cards in the lobby before leaving for an early dinner. Although his loyalty to Saga cuisine remains strong, Isaac did agree to go to Raising Cane's for chicken fingers. He needed to get back to his room by 5:30 to dress for the evening Roots and Wings family weekend choral showcase, so we dropped him off and Adam drove the rest of us to Hobby Lobby so Abby and I could dance in the aisles. (Not literally. Well, maybe a little bit literally. We miss our local HobLob and no other store does crafting and pink Christmas quite as well.)

We then returned to campus to see Isaac perform with the Men's Glee Club in the beautiful (and acoustically pleasing) Armerding Center. It was such a sweet blessing to see him up there singing praises to the Lord with other young men. And the Women's Chorale and Concert Choirs were amazing, too!

Abby's friend Ashley and her husband were hosting a get-together at their place, so as soon as she had the chance to tell Isaac "good job!" she ran off to their apartment. And the rest of us went back to Isaac's dorm room until she was ready to head out. 

I somehow picked up a head cold this weekend so tomorrow's flight home may be rough (pray for me!), but I'm so thankful for the time I've had here with my sweet boy. He's a kind, thoughtful, easygoing young man, and I am grateful for the depth of his faith. I love you, Isaac! I can't wait to see you for Thanksgiving.

November 6

We had such a nice day in Wheaton. Adam picked up Abby from her friend Meredith's house first thing, and they returned to the hotel with my coffee --and Abby's first caramel brulee latte-- in-hand. 

With caffeine on board, we loaded into the minivan and drove over to campus, where we briefly saw Isaac before heading into chapel. He took his assigned chapel seat while the rest of us filed into the balcony, as we've done in past years. (It was Abby's first time doing this, and when I asked her if it felt weird, she didn't hesitate to say yes.) Then we went to Saga for lunch, where we enjoyed the usual college dining hall favorites and a few new offerings, like house-made pita chips.

Then Isaac had class for a little over an hour, so Abby met up with her friend Kam for some girl time, Adam and Brady found a pair of vacant adirondack chairs and watched the clouds go by, and I escaped the chilly 40something temp by going inside the parents' reception area for a cup of tea (and a few minutes of Monopoly Go).

After Isaac's class ended, we ventured to Costco to seek out more cold weather clothes. Isaac looked to Abby's Chicagoland wisdom for guidance, and came away with a few pairs of fleece lined pants and a coat that will hopefully end up keeping him toasty during the winter months. Then we went back to his dorm to drop off his items, and since there were open hours and us female folk were allowed on the boys' side, we all got to see his room. While there, he handed over his prized pal Slime Dog and so I could perform surgery on his neck seams while I'm here. Then it was on to Culver's for dinner (per Isaac's reluctant request; he actually would've been happiest going to Saga, as crazy as that sounds) and back to campus for the Talent Show. We'd never gone to the latter before since Abby wasn't interested, but I have to say it was quite entertaining. Isaac's brother floor wound up winning the event with their traditional "Mantastic" dance number, but there were quite a few very talented and very amusing acts that performed (including a surprising amount of what I'd call metal). I hadn't laughed really hard in quite a while, but a puppet (of all things) named Ivan had me rolling.

It was late by the time the show got out so we said our see you tomorrows and Isaac headed off to his dorm to move his laundry while the rest of us returned to the hotel for the night. I successfully completed Slime's surgery and he's resting comfortably on the couch across the room. And I feel a great sense of gratitude to God for the family day that we were blessed to have. 

November 5

Adam, Brady, and I got up this morning, drove to the airport, and flew to Chicago for Family Weekend at Wheaton. (Abby is here, too, but she took the redeye that left last night so she'd be able to see some friends and attend her Thursday class via Zoom.) It was a mercifully uneventful travel day, although it began with a potential issue that wound up being a non-issue after all: when we arrived in Oakland, we discovered that our flight had been delayed several hours (Southwest strikes again), which meant we'd be getting to Midway four hours later than our original reservation stated (and to Wheaton at nearly midnight). But thanks to my compulsive need to be early to the airport and Adam's quick jaunt to see a gate agent, we wound up on a pair of flights that actually got us to Chicago *earlier* than initially intended. Thank you, Lord, for that miracle!

Anyway, we were all seated separately during leg two --LAX to Midway-- and I used that time to finish about half of a sleeve for a cardigan I've been working on. 

After landing in the chilly, rainy Windy City, we secured the rental minivan relatively expeditiously (which was no guarantee since the usual youth hockey tournament is this weekend, and the shuttle was packed to the gills with sticks and teenage boys and parents) and made it to Wheaton in good time. We rolled up to Isaac's dorm at about 7:45 and had the chance to say hello, get hugs, and hear about his day before he headed off to his 8:15 PM activity (and we went off to Culver's for dinner because boy, were we hungry by then).

As I sat there in the Smaber lounge looking at Isaac, who casually draped himself across the cushions of a small couch like he was setting up shop in the family room at home, I noticed how happy and calm and relaxed he was. I'd suspected it was the case all along, but in that moment, I knew for sure that he's where he belongs. He's in his element. He's with people who --if they're not already his people-- will definitely become his people. And that realization felt so, so good to my mama heart. It is such a blessing from God to know that your children are settled, content, and following the path He's laid out for them. So this evening, I go to bed with an extra measure of gratitude in my heart.

November 4

Abby came home from student teaching today bearing a small collection of birthday cards and gifts from her second graders.

As she shared them with me --the bunny pouch, the Christmas pajamas, the sweet note from one child who thanked her for helping him to "feel calm"-- I could see the emotion in her eyes. She's really come to love these kids over the past few months, and it meant a great deal to her to know that they appreciate her, too.

She's going to make a difference as a teacher. I know it. And I'm grateful that God has blessed her with a compassionate, caring heart that will compel her to work hard to help the young people who are entrusted to her care.

November 3

Abby turned 22 today. Twenty-two!

Since she doesn't student teach on Tuesdays, she opted to come home last night so she could wake up in her own bed on her birthday.

We spent the morning collecting her freebies --including her "monstrosity" (her word, not mine!) drink from the Mother Ship, an ice dream cone from Chick filA, and a red velvet bundtlet cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes-- and strolling the aisles at Target. (Halloween candy was 90 percent off this morning, much to my great delight and horror.)

She opted for sandwiches from The Bagel Cafe for lunch, and then we returned home and watched last night's episode of "Dancing with the Stars" (per her request. I used to be a big fan but got tired of it several years ago).

Then she drove up to her evening class and picked up a boba along the way. When Adam got home, he and Brady and I headed to Walnut Creek and met her at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. And we finished our evening at my in laws' house with the happy birthday song (featuring video called-in Isaac) sung over her slice of cheesecake --we foraged for a candle and fortunately found one!-- and presents.

I hope she had a good day and felt loved. She's a wonderful young woman with an equally wonderful heart, and I greatly admire her commitment to her faith and to living a Godly life. Although I know she worries about the future sometimes, I also know that she will make a fantastic teacher because she cares and she wants to succeed. And she wants the students to succeed, too.

So for the great blessing of 22 years of Abby, I am endlessly thankful. Happy birthday, my girl! I love you!

November 2

I'm a bit of a Fall snob: if it doesn't involve a full-color array of reds and oranges and yellows, it's not truly autumnal.

I forget, when September passes into October and the leaves remain green, that we do get to enjoy a limited Fall... eventually. It just involves something I've never been particularly good at -- patience.

And as I looked outside the window into the back yard this afternoon, it occurred to me that our limited Fall has finally arrived. So I stood there and looked out at the scene --at those vibrant reds and oranges-- and felt a sense of gratitude for those colors; those beautiful colors that only God could dream up and slowly, gently, deliberately morph into existence on the branches of trees.

November 1

This is a snapshot of a typical Sunday afternoon at the Pleasanton Wight House these days.

It began with Adam and I on a video call with Isaac. Brady (and Chub) joined us, followed a little later by Abby. Once I'd had enough of the dogpiling, I moved a few feet away to a different chair. And that's when I took this pic.

Isaac was still talking to them on the laptop. And I was observing the beautiful cacophony.

So for all of that lovely craziness, I am grateful.

October 31

Halloween is one of those holidays that changes dramatically depending on the ages of the people in your household. (Or at least that's been my experience.)

When I was a young kiddo, I trick-or-treated on Aiken Drive with my mom and my brothers, and mom made the most amazing gingerbread men that she gave out instead of candy. (I miss those because they were go-oo-ood!)

When I was a little older, I grabbed a pillowcase and ran from house to house with my friends, trying to cover as much ground as possible in order to increase my candy yield. And then I'd hide the stuffed pillowcase in the closet in my room (since I had to keep it safe from my pesky little brother; although in hindsight, I assume he knew exactly where it was and probably helped himself at times). 

When our kids were young, we savored the moments of trick-or-treating with them, watching as they climbed stairs and admired decorations and swung their pumpkin buckets to the beat of their footsteps. We accompanied a wide variety of characters over those sweet, sweet years, from a ladybug to Finn McMissile and a monkey to Thor. And so, so many more.

And now, well, now things are different. Abby and Brady carved their pumpkins this evening and posed for the obligatory picture before I drove Brady to his friend Jacob's house for the evening. Then I went up to the top of the cul de sac for our annual neighborhood bonfire, where I spent a little time catching up with the neighbors. It was the last bonfire for our across-the-street neighbors Mary and Brian, who just accepted an offer on their home and will be heading out of state soon. I'm happy for them but sad for me, because they're truly the best neighbors I've ever had. 

And now, it's quiet. I didn't go overboard on the candy this year so I'm not sorting through leftovers (and my waistline thanks me for that). Brady is still at Jacob's and Abby is doing some work for school. And Adam and I are watching a very spooky "Matlock" re-run. (Kidding. It's not spooky.)

So that's our Halloween this year. Although I don't love change, I am thankful to be in a phase of life where life feels a bit quieter. And I am grateful to God for good neighbors and great friends and for opportunities to reflect on what was, what is, and what may be down the line. Because every phase of life is lined with blessings.

October 30

The sky this morning was beautiful. I noticed it immediately as Brady drove us out of the cul de sac and down the hill toward the school. 

I couldn't catch the entire display in a single shot, but it was a stunning mix of light and shadow. Low down near the horizon, I could see sunlight pressing hard against the grey, trying its best to break through.

That lovely expanse of natural beauty was an awe-inspiring vision created by God. And I am thankful for His provision.

October 29

I was less than amused when the power abruptly went out at a little before one o'clock this afternoon. It was cloudy outside and only 64 degrees inside, and I was annoyed to suddenly be unable to turn on the heater. I was more annoyed when a text update told me that the lights would be off until after 8 PM.

But as it turned out, it wasn't all that bad after all. Since there was no TV, no wifi, and no kitchen appliances to keep me occupied, I took a walk and checked out the flowers. We may be approaching November, but we still have roses. And although it's not the same as my east coast experience, some of the leaves are indeed changing color. 

And then later, after he'd spent some time in his room (doing I'm not sure what), Brady sauntered into the family room, sighed, went outside, and set up the pitching net. He hadn't thrown in quite some time so it was a blessing to me to once again sit there on the deck while he worked. I gave feedback on his form, and to his credit, he took the comments seriously. He even devised an extra-goofy delivery and asked if I thought the coach would let him make weird noises on the mound if he pitches well enough this coming Spring. It was good Brady-and-mom time, and I am grateful to have had it.

The lights did eventually come back on --at around five, so PG&E successfully sandbagged the original estimate-- but for the unexpected blessing of a power outage that helped me to slow down and notice more and gave me precious minutes with my kiddo, I am grateful.

October 28

 This lovely lady here with me turned 45 today.

I tried to surprise Nikki at work with the carefully selected (read: obviously pink) balloon and a giant cinnamon roll, but wound up driving to her house because I didn't see her car in the lot. And voila, she was just leaving as I arrived!

As far as girlfriends go, she's the best and I love her dearly. She understands who I am at my core and embraces my idiosyncrasies. I know that I can always be fully myself when we're together, and I know she'll always do whatever she can to support me when I need it. 

She's a keeper, and I'm grateful to God that she continues to be part of my life. Happy birthday, gal!

October 27

I was leaving to pick up Brady from school this afternoon when I spied these two little guys in my front yard.

When I got back home, I went over to take a closer look. And then because the whole thing reminded me very much of lazy Saturday mornings with The Smurfs, I gave them their very own little photo session while simultaneously fighting the temptation to add Lego minifigs and My Little Ponies to the scene. (I mean, come on; can't you see it?)

Anyway, it was an opportunity to embrace my fun (and perhaps slightly weird) side. And I'm always grateful to God for experiences that help me to stand on the lighter side of this life.

October 26

I really wish I could remember what it was that prompted me to take this picture this morning during my Bible study. Alas, I cannot.

But regardless of whether or not I can recall the detail that triggered the photo, I can say this: I am thankful to live in a nation where I can attend a Bible study and learn about Jesus without fear of retaliation or punishment. 

Freedom is a gift from God.

October 25

I felt pretty sluggish today, so I mostly laid low; I watched football and worked on a crochet project. (And indulged in a brief pre-dinner nap.)

It doesn't feel great to admit it, but I wasn't really looking so I didn't see much.

But I did see this outside my bedroom window during the mid-evening hours: the remnants of a lovely sunset. To my eyes, it has a classic harvest-season look to it and given my affinity for Fall --for the changing of the leaves and the lowering of the temperature and the coming of the Thanksgiving season-- I am grateful for the sight.

October 24

Brady went to lunch with some of his friends this afternoon.

Before he headed out, he poured himself a bowl of cereal and started eating it with chopsticks. As I side-eyed him from across the table, he explained that he wasn't sure the restaurant they were going to visit would have any forks and he didn't want to look stupid. So he decided to practice using Reeses Puffs.

I appreciate this kiddo's ingenuity, because honestly, it never would've occurred to me to use chopsticks on cereal. I'm grateful that he's blessed with the ability to think outside of the usual box. And I'm grateful that he had the opportunity to spend time with some pals outside of school, too.

October 23

My favorite gal and I had another good time together this morning. 

After the Brady drop-off we scooted over to the Mother Ship, where Abby continued her tour of the Fall menu with an iced pumpkin spice latte. (The barista read the sticker wrong so we wound up with a free hot one, too. I hadn't had a PSL in years and I was reminded of how sweet they are. Bazoinga.)

Then we went over to Costco to put gas in the Explorer (since with Brady getting his hours in, I hardly ever drive my own car these days). We then went inside and trolled the aisles before pit-stopping it in the food court.

It was just a normal Friday morning in many ways, but I am grateful for the time. And I am grateful to be able to watch my girl as she continues to grow into the awesome young woman God intends her to be.

October 22

It was an actual rainy day.

It was overcast and drizzling when I got up in the morning to shuttle Brady to school and it stayed that way outside all day long. 

So it follows that it was a nice day to be inside.

And it was also a nice day to cook dinner. I'd planned to make calzones anyway, but it was extra nice to make --and then enjoy-- them on a day that felt so chilly and damp. 

So for the blessing of warm food on a sunless day, I am grateful.

October 21

We've officially entered the Rainy Season!

Well, maybe. The relevant truth here is that it did actually rain today... a little bit. And right as Brady was walking over to the car after school. But the road got wet and he had to turn on the windshield wipers and the deck looked rained-on. So I'm counting it as rain.

Anyway, even though it was just a little bit today, I'm grateful to God for the rain that will come, because the earth around these parts definitely needs the renewal and refreshment that it brings.