Love

I love my mom, she’s the best. No really, the absolute best. She is an extremely particular person. Everything has to be done just so. She is unique and carries out life in an incredibly specific manner. I can identify every move my mom will make in every situation encountered. She fulfills the responsibility of motherhood so beautifully. My mom is the type of person that actually measures flour the correct way when following a recipe. (You know the whole deal where you are supposed to spoon the flour into a measure cup and then level it off with a knife by making cutting marks like a checkerboard and then swiping that excess away.) I tend to think that my mother and I approach living life from assorted angles. Then people point out to me that I am in fact, “just like my mother”. Now that I have entered the motherhood game I assume I will continue to transform into a more visible version of my mom. I find myself looking for excuses to linger around her house just because. After racing from Mesa back to Tucson today, the leader I work with in Beehives mentioned how she noticed I spend a fair amount of my time in Mesa and wondered if I was anxious to rid myself of Tucson. I really have no distaste for Tucson and hadn’t even realized how often I was telling this leader I was “out of town” always just barely making it back in time for Tuesday and Sunday Beehive roundups. My mom really ‘gets’ life. She is a wise one who has a solution for everything. She is strong when life is hard and when I say hard I am talking really hard. Although an inadequete means by which to recognize her, she deserves a blog post.

Now to completely switch the topic...I made pumpkin cookies today. Pumpkin cookies are an essential component of October festivities. I don't know how I restrain myself from making them all year round. I think I am afraid they might lose their luster if I abuse the privelages that come with a once a year recipe. I was getting anxious because we are approaching the end of the month and I still hadn't squeezed in that baking session. Luckily, that happened today. Pumkin spice, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon all came dancing off my spice shelf. I can drink that armoa all day long! Only seven more days and then it must all come to an end.

Time to celebrate

I just crave October every year! I can’t even begin to eloquently elaborate on my deep passion for the beginning of change that October brings with it. It makes life feel refreshing and new. It is my absolute favorite time of year. Every day I feel elated by the crisp air. Something about it just lifts my spirits and makes me want to start with a clean slate and conquer the world. I start concocting all of these goals and plans I have for life and feel anew with energy to make it all happen. It is like my mini New Year celebration. Arizona feels real to me again in October. After long months of heat and boredom cooped up inside, it once again becomes a place I identify with and pine for. A little time outside and life is immediately good and whole despite any stresses that might be lurking. If it isn’t clear yet: October is my slice of heaven. Oh…and Halloween, I simply can’t get enough of it. Bring on pumpkin everything!

Despite a lingering cold Mckenley and I have been victim too, we headed out on a family walk. It was perfect. All the components were there: conversation with husband, content blue eyed baby, surreal scenery, outdoor activity... Every few moments I kept repeating how unbelievably amazing the evening was. November and December are just hanging out around the corner and although I they are amazing in their own right they just don’t hold as dear of a spot in my heart as October.

Oh October I love you! So far I have stumbled upon two things that really bring out the gushy side in me: my Heavenly baby and October. Of course I love and adore Steve with my whole heart but I still struggle with letting my emotions openly flow every now and then. You dangle the pumpkin spice scent under my nose or my freshly bathed Mckenley and I burst out into all kinds of emotional verses. I just can’t help it.

Speaking of my 6 month old Mckenley, she seems to be a mini Hercules. She is ridiculously strong. She crawls like it is her job. Well I guess it basically is her job. I don’t know if she was secretly practicing when we were fast asleep or what because the first spotting of her crawl would have received tens across the board. It is mind boggling watching her do new things. Within a week span she started by suddenly sitting up on her own with stunning balance and then days later cruising across the living room floor. She is astonishing. Having her life rapidly unfolding right in front of my eyes can’t be beat. Even though I have developed these unsightly permanent bags under my tired eyes I can’t deny that she has stolen my heart. I am still a devoted night owl and she is a persistent early riser so these bags are only going to continue to take over my face. I might look far less groomed these days but she has acquired some delicious attire. She is my little doll that is becoming harder to dress with her new found mobility. She is perfect and unfortunately I am far from that so here goes for trying to take on such a heavy responsibility of raising her.