Determined Leaf Fall

After a long day and waiting on my youngest to finish theatre rehearsals, we were finally on our way home. It had been sideways raining most of the day, making exiting work only a smidge less joyful. We were tired but quickly awoken by the uncomfortably crisp mist that blew in our faces on our way to the car. 

We began the thirty-minute trek home, chatting about our day. I noticed the leaf stuck to my rearview mirror was still there at one point on the way. One little appendage flapped violently. My thoughts wandered to wondering when it would let go.

To say the least, it never did. It made it all the way home tightly glued by water droplets. I snapped a picture. My youngest noticed and said, "I saw that there too. Weird, it never fell off."

I suppose it's just a leaf but seeing it hang on like that gave me a little bit of hope, oddly enough. 

Today

Today was a bit of a coaster ride. With moments of straight lines, predictable curves, and moderate speed. Then can the out of the blue drop and sudden dodge ball sensation of side to side, with high speeds just to amp up the anxiety. 

I’m glad this day has come to a close. Tomorrow will be new and I’ll be home before 9:00. I’ll eat meals tomorrow and breathe when time breaks. Tomorrow will be a welcome treat. 

A Green Book

Today I grew the biggest smile. 

I was at my desk while students came in and out, getting things around before school. One of my quieter students came in and handed me a book. It was an older book, yellowed pages, a dark green cover. It had a used bookstore smell. As I handled the book, I wondered what it was for. 

"Is this your book?" I asked. "It looks like a book of poetry."

"It's for you. I bought it for you this weekend."

I don't even know what my face did at first because I was in full-blown shock. 

"It's for me? That is just the nicest thing ever, thank you."

He just smiled, absolutely content and happy with his gift.

As he left my classroom, I couldn't stop smiling. 

When my lunch break came around, I made sure to read a few pages. It's a beautiful book and one I'm looking forward to reading. 

Cozy Blanket Days

A few weeks ago, my youngest and I were picking up last-minute items for the homecoming dance at our local Kohl's. As we wandered the aisles, every turn had something adorned with a pumpkin or leaf. That particular day was a bit crisper, and the sun just barely took off the chill. It was one of those first "feels like fall" kind of days, and the tips of leaves were just beginning to turn. 

As we walked, we swooned a bit at the decor. Then we came to a blanket display. They were throw blankets covered in that oh so soft fluff. There were leaf prints, ghosts, plaids, and of course, pumpkin print. We just couldn't help ourselves, and each scooped up one we liked. It was faster than an impulse buy, almost like--we could not have even considered leaving without one. 

Since that day a couple weeks ago, I have found myself snuggling up with that blanket at the end of each evening. That time of day, when dinner is done, the kitchen is tidier than it was, and everyone has settled down. That blanket is wrapping me in comfort at the end of the day, and I'm so glad I didn't resist the purchase.