It's hard to believe it's October now, but the weather has cooled and the leaves here are beginning to change. Autumn is probably my favourite season: beautiful foliage, hot chai, and for the love of all that is good in life, PUMPKIN. Pumpkin
anything: cookies, tea, pie, cake, bread. I love pumpkin. When it's finally 'appropriate' to begin baking with pumpkin, my heart sings a little song...and honestly, I'm already lamenting the fact that once we're finally overseas, my pumpkin consumption will most likely diminish. So, friends and family, take note: send us pumpkin when you can...
All right, onto something other than my culinary whims. So September, September, September. We'll start with the bad and move on from there. Work has been incredibly hard for me this month; I'm definitely feeling burn out as a social worker and at my job in particular. I think that it's mostly related to the budget mess with the Elder Program and not that I want to necessarily quit the sphere of social work. It's just been a rather disheartening time as of late, and I'm struggling with it. However I have the most amazing interns and am so grateful for them. They are hilarious and inspiring and worth every last ounce of extra work I have to do to be their practicum supervisor. I love seeing their passion and it reminds me of why I choose to work with refugees in the first place. It's very encouraging! So while the times are stressful and discouraging in general, I am thankful to have my interns.
Isaac's grandma fell and hit her piano bench and needed to go to the hospital. She has a nasty cut on her face and I think she hurt her wrist, but she didn't break and bone, and we are extremely thankful for that. Please remember Grandma (Alice) in your prayers.
Isaac has been busy with work and school as well; he was asked to help facilitate the missions cohort at Pastor's School, so he's returned to leaving the house by 5:45 am on Thursday mornings. I still think he's crazy, but I am so proud of him for all he is doing. He really likes his classes, and is now on fall break. But fall break for seminary does not equal break. Oh no, my friends. Fall break means read until your brain explodes. Well, hopefully Isaac's brain won't explode...but he'll be reading and writing and studying the week away.
We had a few special events that we enjoyed in September, including
*Seeing one of my favourite elders become a citizen at WorldFest:
Lazaro the citizen!
*A very successful fundraiser for Swaziland at Smoothie King on Bardstown (sorry, no pictures). But thanks Barry and Erin for allowing us to do this and for your generosity!
*Fall Festival at Southern- the theme was Narnia and we got to walk through the wardrobe, see some of the characters (Mr. Tumnus was awesome, but I totally could have been the White Witch
without any makeup to make me look fair-skinned), and even take in a jousting match:
Rachael and Alex; they are new members of our community group and so much fun!
Speaking of fun, I think Chris makes this face quite frequently.
All the jousting action shots came out rather poorly, but for posterity's sake, they actually allowed horses onto the Great Lawn...
Sword fights are fun :)
*An incredible girls' night at Disney on ice (and yes I wore my Minnie Mouse ears):
Kristina and I getting excited!
They were selling Tourist Mickey and Minnie- she has a fanny pack and he has a camera!
The Lion King!
Mary Poppins and Peter Pan...
Wendy walking the plank...
Waving goodbye as Peter Pan and Tink fly away...
Jen and Sarah are excited too; I even have a video of them singing along with The Little Mermaid part!
Too freakin' cute. Mickey and Minnie enjoying the show!
*Fun at Global Gourmet (my work's annual fundraiser) where said favourite elder met the mayor again. Isaac got to meet the mayor too! I really like the mayor, but I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm a spaz after my three different conversations with him. Mayor Fischer, I promise I'm not a spaz; just meet my mother and then I promise I'll make more sense...
Lazaro talking to Mayor Fischer about his artwork.
My handsome husband at Global Gourmet!
We're looking forward to October: the turning of the leaves, a visit to CoMo for Mizzou's 100th Homecoming (everybody thank the University of Missouri for their contribution to American culture- the concept of homecoming originated there), and maybe even a visit to a pumpkin patch! We love and miss our family and friends who aren't near us now. Let us know what's going on with you!
