Grateful

Fall is here and Ronan will finally stop sweating in his car seat! I love fall. It reminds me of when I lived in Logan and I would drive through the canyon to see family. The valley would open up and I could see all the colors: orange, red and yellow. Blankets of crunchy leaves lay in step on the sidewalks and were carried off in the wind as I drove past. I remember holding Tim's hand waiting to enter a haunted forest, hugging him close for warmth, watching my breath as I laughed with our friends.

Now I'm back in good old Virginia. We have a tiny baby to keep warm, and Tim is still my hero, working so hard every day but Sunday to make his dream a reality. At the end of the night, my baby smiles at me before I put him to bed, and Tim touches his soft little cheek and baby grasps his fingers. He's getting very good at grabbing things now.

I walk around the house, lock the doors, get my ice water for the side of my bed. Chloe walks with me, keeping me company. When I close my eyes to sleep, I think about how grateful I am for my life, for my great loves. I hear their deep breathing and thank Heavenly Father for blessing me so generously. I don't know what I did to deserve my little family, but my heart is so full of gladness and gratefulness to my Father in Heaven, I want to shout. But instead, I pull out my computer and write to the world in silence while I think of my favorite fall memories I've made in my life, and the new ones I'll make with our sweet little man who has never yet jumped in a pile of crunchy leaves.