Rewinding ...

Things I need & want to remember about October:

• my camera broke
• my great friends - the Lukes - let me borrow their great camera for a few days, advised me on camera purchases I might want to consider, and blessed me yet once again.
• my incredible friend from college - Andrea - & her incredible family drove 6+ hours to bring me a camera to borrow for as long as I need it.  There are no words to describe the amazing amount of appreciation I have for her & her family.
• my tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and onions went CRAZY ... and I made batch after batch after batch of salsa.
• calves came home.
• hunters came for the weekend.
• Mack greeted the hunters on Saturday morning with boots and his {shooting gun} ... but wearing nothing else.
• I tried some new recipies.
• I haven't taken very many pictures this month compared to Octobers in the past.
• I got my first cold of this school year.
• Mack is closer and closer to being totally potty-trained.
• I grew a lot professionally.
• I grew a lot spiritually.
• I grew a bit around the waist too.
• I didn't read one book for pleasure.
• I made a menu ... and then didn't follow it.
• I got a kink in my neck ... and it's still there.
• I made cookies and froze bags and bags of them ... like a squirrel gathering nuts.
• I made 13 jars of applesauce.
• I went to Mason's first awards assembly and parent-teacher conference -all in the same day.
• Mason lost his first tooth.
• I saw, once again, how important animals are to my husband.
• I got a ticket for talking on my cell phone.
• I cried more than usual.
• I saw fewer friends & more of my husband and boys.
• I hosted a GREAT pumpkin party.
• Franklin is one of my favorite story characters.
• I love pumpkins, but don't really care for Halloween.
• I walked a lot.
• I'm not a coffee drinker, but Pumpkin Spice lattes are really good.
• Spiced apple cider is still my favorite.
• Learning new things and trying those new things you just learned are two different things.
• I made new friends ... and reconnected with ones from the past.
• I prayed.
• I loved.
• I believed.
• I hoped.
• I lived.

to be continued.