fall

Driving around North Carolina in Autumn is one of my favorite things to do. I love watching the world fade into a sepia snapshot—the leaves change color and the temperature drops, everyone pulls out their scarves and gloves, little kids' noses turn pink, driving on the Raleigh Beltline becomes something I find excuses to do because it's like speeding through a painting—everything is absolutely gorgeous.

Other than how pretty Fall is, I think it's my favorite because it's a season for traditions. Year after year, there are some things that you can just count on happening in the Fall. School starts, youth groups go on yearly retreats, turkeys are carved, and Christmas bells begin ringing far too early. I get extremely nostalgic during the autumn months, especially this close to Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving will be my favorite day of 2009.

I've had other days so far this year that have been really awesome, but I am completely positive that none of them will come close to making me feel as loved, comforted, and at home as I'll feel tomorrow. I love that I can tell you exactly what I'll be doing from tonight at 7pm until Saturday at 8am. I'm not sure if I like admitting that I'm that okay with such a routine, but I'm a creature of habit and I truly think that there's nothing better than knowing that when my family arrives from Jacksonville, Fayetteville, Charleston, Alabama and Ohio tonight we'll all head over to my Grandma's house for rigatoni, we'll sit around her dining room table and catch up on what all of the grandkids are up to and then the uncles will start telling the stories we hear every year about large women in polk-dotted socks, beef stroganoff and radiation suits, and riding on motorcycles with skeletons. There will be coffee and an assortment of pies and we'll eat until our pants don't fit. There will be lots of people, lots of food, long naps, coffee, laughing, and probably a private concert by uncle Matthew.

I can't wait.