i made magic.

I don't think I've had a dessert this good for ages. This apple crisp is seriously magic. Why would anyone ever make pie when they can have apple crisp? This is the food of heaven.

Notes: I did not measure my apples. I just filled up a 9x13 baking dish with the amount of apples I wanted. I really wish I wrote down exactly what I did, but I know I left out the white sugar, probably only used 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and added probably a 1/2 cup of maple syrup. I think next time I will figure out how to only have maple syrup sweeten it. Also, I used regular oats and added chopped pecans to the topping. I think the maple syrup and pecans are what made it spectacular. Served with Trader Joe's soy ice cream. Pure bliss.

today.

Today was one of those perfect days you want to always remember. My Chinese craving was fulfilled and topped with Annie May's. We went for a drive and listened to Harry Potter, losing track of all the cares in the city. After it warmed up we finally found a park that's not over crowded and we enjoyed a bike ride. Once home dishes needed washing and papers needed writing, but for a few magical hours all toil was forgotten. 

lately {October}

walking for my commute

realizing this must be a secret to life

piling on the blankets

sleeping in a little more each day to enjoy the cold coming through the open window

listening to books

hanging pictures

dying to ride my bike every day

studying for my last New Testament test

constantly putting books on hold at the library

playing the piano every chance I get

feeling energized by fall

dreaming of a day with nothing in it

wearing gloves often

looking forward to Andy actually being off work for a few weekends

autumn dreams

+have a celebrating Autumn party
+take a sunday drive to see the changing leaves
+bake pumpkin something
+make apple crisp
+find a good fall skirt (or, you know, ten)
+bike ride down tree-lined park streets
+hit the tree swing
+drink apple cider
+have a sleepover and stay up all night giggling

another year

I do not like growing older. But I am increasingly thankful for life and I am increasingly thankful that birthdays feel like an old chapter is concluded and a new one is beginning. The best part of my birthday is it is fall and I get to feel special. The sad part of birthdays as you grow older is it means your husband has to work late and you make your own cake and that regular life goes on. Dishes do not know it is a special day and conferences do not know that it is supposed to be your birthday weekend extravaganza.

For an old soul, I feel pretty young. Most  people here seem to be a little older than us and are often shocked at how young we are. But inside I'm doing the math for how long we'll be in school and how old we'll be and how old we'll be when we have kids and get a house and I don't feel young. I try to remember I love our life and that often the thought of Andy graduating brings sad tears to my eyes and time goes by quickly and so what if I give birth when I'm old. Besides, age is just a number and Andy and I are really already 70 year old crazy love birds in our souls.

Here's to another year of learning, loving, and working on that list. 

(The evening turned out to be magical with a walk to dinner at Caspian Grill, perfect weather for eating outside, and savoring that delicious pumpkin cake.)

good listening

The two chapel messages this week were such a comfort to my soul. I'm posting so I will remember them, but I hope they are encouraging for others as well. I feel inadequate to write my thoughts down at the moment, maybe that time will come some day. For now, I am thankful for hope. I am thankful the past two years my "Sunday school view" of the Bible has been shattered and prepared me for these messages. I am thankful for the Old Testament. I am thankful that after all the disappointments and failures and sin in the Old Testament, God was faithful and sent a King that finally could do everything perfectly. Links below:

for such a slime as this

hope for a weak soul

getting settled

We are beginning to feel settled in our new place, although there is still much to do. The move was bittersweet. I feel like Andy and I grew up in Fuller together. Maybe it is me because I never experienced a different city before, but I'm finding it changes you and makes you grow up. Fuller is where we learned to be married when everything was new, hard, and different.

It is nice, however, to feel like we have our own little place. We no longer feel like college dorm mates. Cooking is a million times easier. Doing laundry feels like I'm resting on a fluffy cloud eating chocolate to my heart's content. Our water pressure would be Kramer-approved. We like it here. It feels like home.

Traditional sleeping on the floor the first night in our new place.

Fuller, I do not miss your kitchen. (Yes, this was our kitchen, with a tiny refrigerator to the right.)

This is how we clean: spotless.

This is how we look after moving and cleaning.

Our new home! Our first home without an apartment number in the address!

My favorite view on my walk home.

Our first game in our new place--the squirrel game!

Thank you to everyone who helped us move! You blessed us more than you will ever know!