November 11

We had our first good, soaking rain of the season this morning.

I know that's not much of a big deal to a lot of you (and in fact, you may be wishing that it would just stop raining already), but it literally does not rain here from May through October or November. So when the cycle starts anew, it's exciting. And it's especially exciting when the hills are crusty and brown and the fire danger is high (as it has been of late).

So yes: I'm grateful for the blessing of rain and thankful to God for sending it to revitalize the land.

November 10

It took a while because of all of those 100+ degree days we suffered through last month, but Fall is definitely here. Finally.

And this particular tree is one of my favorite annual sights. I see it when we leave for school each morning, so I've watched it get redder and redder over the past week. And I saw it again this afternoon when Adam and I enjoyed a walk around the 'hood.

I am grateful for this kind of beauty. The full color may sometimes take longer than expected to develop, but it's always worth the wait.

November 9

Isaac loves Young Life camp so I wasn't surprised when he wanted to go to the session offered today through Monday.

I drove him over to Livermore for the group's morning departure, and he immediately met up with the four other boys from his school who were going (which, by the by, is a record number of attendees from Amador Valley). And they're all his friends. 

And they're all going because Isaac took a leap and went by himself --without knowing anyone else-- a few summers ago and had a blast and told all of his friends how great it was. And encouraged them to go, too.

It just goes to show how much impact one person can have. And I hope Isaac knows what a blessing he truly is to others.

November 8

Brady hung out with his friend Jackson for a few hours after school today. By the time he texted to ask me to pick him up, Isaac was more than ready to see his little bro. In fact, he even asked to go along for the ride.

And then when we got home, the usual hilarity ensued. I have no idea what they were trying to accomplish, but they were laughing so I figured it was all in good fun.

I love their love for one another. I love my brothers, but these two share a special bond that I don't fully understand. And I'm grateful that they have that connection.

November 7

Brady had a pitching lesson in Dublin right after pick-up today, so Isaac had to come along.

He was in a jovial mood, so we got out of the car and took a few laps around the diamond. As we strolled, he told me about his day at school. Or maybe more accurately, he briefly told me about PE, and then talked at length about the test he had in AP US History.

This kiddo has a real passion for history. He loved AP World last year, so signing up for APUSH seemed like a no-brainer. And so far, he's really enjoying the material.

It's a blessing to see my children light up when they're sharing about a topic they love.

November 6

It's Wednesday so Brady and I had our customary outing to the Mother Ship this morning.

There was nothing particularly noteworthy about the event, but it made me realize --for the umpteenth time-- that I am blessed to be his mom; that I'm blessed to be Abby's mom and Isaac's mom and Logan's mom, too.

Parenthood certainly has its difficulties, but the benefits of watching your children grow and mature over time --no matter how long or short that span may be-- far outweigh the challenges.

November 5

On the kind of day that can often bring out the very worst in humanity --a Presidential election day-- it was soothing to look out into my backyard this afternoon and realize that Fall in all of its colorful splendor has finally arrived:

May this image remind us that different shades and textures can indeed come together to create a stunningly beautiful reality. May it be so in the days and weeks and months to come.