Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year! I love opening the windows in the house, lighting a pumpkin candle, turning on some lazy music, and enjoying the cool, stillness in the air. It feels like home. I get all nostalgic.

Some of my most favorite memories are from fall. Since I was a child I must have always loved fall because when I think of my childhood I automatically think of times I spent during cooler weather. I don't necessarily like being cold, but I LOVE when it is cool outside.

One of my more recent memories (and one of my most favorite) is meeting Casey. We met around the middle of November. (One week before Thanksgiving to be exact) We spent a whole lot of time together and went on many adventures during that fall! Little did I know that particular fall would change my whole life forever. I fell in love with a wonderful man, knew without a doubt that we would spend the rest of our lives together, and start building the foundation that would eventually be our future.

I found out I was pregnant with Clay last fall. (Around the first of September) While I vomited several times a day last fall, I still enjoyed it. (Not the vomiting, of course, but the fall weather.) My life changed again last fall. I learned a little about vomiting and a whole lot about how much I actually wanted to have a child, not ever having known it. Casey and I had decided that we would have been perfectly happy without having children. (That was before we got pregnant, of course.) Little did I know how much of an impact he would have on our lives. He is our everything. He brings so much joy to our lives - joy that we would have never known had we not had Clay. I didn't know that I would find a greater purpose in life last fall, but I did. My purpose was to keep this little being safe and sound - at all costs. I am so thankful that I had the family and friend support that I had - it allowed me to do the greatest job I will ever have to do. Because of all of the support I was able to stay pregnant. I was able to keep him safe.

That brings me to this fall. I LOVE enjoying this fall with Clay. He seems to enjoy it also. He is a lot like Casey in that he would rather be a little on the cold side than hot. So, it doesn't bother him in the least to have all the windows open when it's 60 degrees out - so long as his little feet are covered! I know he will not remember this fall, but I will never forget it. (He will never be able to forget it either because I have taken 5 million pictures of it so far)

I look forward to each day with him and am SO excited about the upcoming holidays! While I have always enjoyed the holidays, they will have new meaning from now on! I look forward to making new traditions as a family. Our first holiday(ish) tradition is going to the pumpkin patch to get pictures with Clay amidst the pumpkins! (We are going Friday - cute pictures to follow) Maybe he will be able to pick his own pumpkin out next year! Casey and I started cutting down our own Christmas tree a couple of years ago and we will continue that tradition with Clay this year. I want to start an ornament tradition with him, or for him rather. I'd like to make (or buy) an ornament each year and be able to reminisce each year while putting the ornaments on the tree. I can't wait until he can start making the ornaments for our ornament tradition each year! (I am so giddy about all of this! I hope he enjoys all of this as much as we do!)