These Happy Fall Days

Posted today as a guest post on www.WichitaCityMom.com.  

These fall days are falling away far faster than planned, and my brain is swirling like leaves in the street. So before my thoughts are dissipated by my neighbor’s incredibly loud leaf blower (why, neighbor…why?!) I should jot down a few happy thoughts from a particularly busy week.

Behold, things that I love this week (in no particular order):

• This windows-open, fresh breeze weather. I want to bottle and shelve you for February.
• Being the mom of boys on picture day. One green shirt, one striped shirt, two pairs of jeans. Done.
• $1.99 Gladiola bunches at Dillons. For less than four dollars I feel like I live in a tropical wonderland. Or at least a much nicer home.
• The “Assembles in only minutes!” claim on Roman’s new bike box. Two grown men’s sanity and one hundred minutes later… 

• Roman’s new bike, a way-early birthday gift from Grandma and Grandpa.

• The new recycled clothing place in town (Fashion Bar, 21st & Woodlawn). Locally owned, unreal prices, and a potential new drop off location for everything but my leisure wear, which will only be taken from my cold, lifeless body.
• Evolution Futbol Club (EFC), Ben’s soccer program. They teach the value of real skills and the importance of sportsmanship. Naturally then, we try to play it cool on the sidelines. But, what, am I made of stone?! We all went bananas when Ben scored (three times!) last Saturday. 

• Dr. Kumar, the boys’ pediatrician since day 1, even though I don’t always love what he has to say. (Wednesday: “Ben’s hearing is fine, so it must just be a problem of his listening.”)
• My in-laws, who headed back to Denver on Monday, after an extraordinary food- and wine-fueled weekend. I adore them more with every visit, and double that for Ben and Roman. In fact, I wonder how they got into their car after Roman’s pleading: “Grandma, please just don’t leave.”

 

And while we’d love to be closer, their visits always help me re-open my eyes to what a great life Wichita offers us. And if ever I forget, I’ll just open that late-September weather bottle and take a swig.