my new favorite season

I blinked, and summer was over.

Cliché? Yes. Totally true? Also yes.

Students are making themselves at home up on Western's woodsy hill. They're flooding Target in search of fuzzy bean bag chairs and microwaves. They're standing in long lines around the periphery of the student bookstore, their arms filled with textbooks and highlighters. Classes begin tomorrow (as will the wave of swine flu, if last month's influx at Washington State University is any indication).

Me? I'm here at home. Still in pajamas. With not a single thought about courses, classroom locations or uncomfortable desk chairs.

Glory be.

I used to say that summer was my favorite time of year, but this was by default--for most of my life, it was the only season I had a break from school.

This autumn is a new sensation.  This is the first time since J and I were married that doesn't involve school for at least one of us. And though it takes everything in me not to compulsively buy an armload of school supplies (insert favorite You've Got Mail quote here regarding bouquets of sharpened pencils), I think I'm going to like this very much.

Our summer was fantastic and busy and stressful, in that way that seasons without a discernible rhythm can be. We hiked. We visited and had visitors. We camped with dear friends and lit off fiery bacon bombs. We spent a week writing and making friends with other writing nerds. We survived weddings. It's quite possible that we spent more weekends away from home than at-home. This was fun, but it also gave me an eye-twitch after a while.

Things aren't any less busy now that the leaves are turning crimson outside my window. My little business, Lawlis Creative (website coming soon), is growing steadily, and I'm never out of work to do. This is a blessing and a learning opportunity at the same time as I try to balance LC against my "real job" and spending time with my favorite person. The adjustment is worth it: I absolutely love this work (and I love getting to say that I'm USING MY ENGLISH DEGREE, THANKYOUVERYMUCH).

It's also football season. Major time suck when you're in two fantasy leagues with your even-more-fanatical husband.

(This is us at the season home opener last weekend.  See how hopeful we look?)
It's not that I'm less busy. I'm just home more, in my sanctuary, in my own element, which is a relief. The two of us are slowly settling into a new rhythm: married life without school and also without kids (sounds kind of ridiculously simple, right?). With the air starting to get colder, I'm already in baking/cooking mode, poring over new recipes. It's getting dark earlier. We read together in the evenings, or Justin games while I work/play in front of my Mac.

It's just cozy. And Justin and I are good at cozy. I yanked a scarf out of my closet for the first time yesterday, and sighed. We're mere weeks away from hot-chocolate & Scrabble tournaments.

I like it.

What's more, I'm taking it just slow enough to really savor it. Happy Autumn, everyone.