You can have a hot summer day, which turns into, or stays a hot summer night. You wake up in the morning and the air is still and you can go out to get the paper and think it feels pretty fantastic.
In The Can, that changes overnight and much as The Cannites would hate to hear it and will refuse to believe it - that happened just the other day. Thursday.
We woke up and headed out for our morning run/walk and when I hit the great outdoors in my usual workout outfit, I realized I needed something to keep my arms warm until we hit "the turn". I actually ended up wearing it the past two days and not just to The Turn, but back as well. After starting the laundry this morning and turning on the sprinkler system, I headed out to get the paper and felt that ever coolness of the morning air.
Last night, The Dad and I ventured out. When we were coming home I expected to head to our car in the nice, warm summer evening air. Instead my lips quivered on my way to the car. Even the warm nights are turning...
Fall is rearing her beautiful head.
Fall IS my favorite season in The Can. The sun. Leaves changing colors. It's still warm during the days. Football. Fall get togethers. Pumpkins. Pumpkin candle smells. Back to school shopping - once upon a time. Football. The "feel" of fall. What has been the "busy"ness of the start up of school, sports, social gatherings, driving all over for games, planning around the times... Love fall. Especially when it's sunny. Fall means Thanksgiving is coming - our families most favorite day of the year. This year - it's followed by the Apple Cup in Pullman. With a Husky and a Cougar in the house this year, our Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl may be a little more "spirited".
So while the days still feel like summer, and my first sign that fall was coming was sending two Minn boys back to college - the second sign is sneaking up on us. Today we did nearly 5 miles instead of the 3.5 loop. I wore my long sleeve top until the last uphill mile. Seeing marmotts, deer, cows and hearing the breeze blow out in the open country is really quite a gift and will only get more beautiful as the colors change in the coming weeks. Makes a workout not really feel like a workout.
Now we'll turn on the PGA Championship, cheer on "my boy" Tiger - and in a bit head out on a day trip to take Blue Eyes some things he forgot and have lunch with him. The tradition has been to move him down and take him out - but this year he left on a Tuesday while MOTY and The Dad worked. I hugged him goodbye that afternoon and cried, just like I did last year when we dropped him off.
I think back to dropping both #7 and Blue Eyes off their first years and how I didn't cry. Not a drop. Didn't well up. I hear so many parents say they bawled - half the way home. And I wondered what's wrong with me? That the years FOLLOWING the first year are the years that make me want to give them hugs and never let go... and CRY. And cry. And then buck up, let go, wipe my tears and smile.
I believe #7 sealed this for me when we dropped him off for preschool at Ferris all those years ago. I pulled up and was getting out to go walk him in when he turned to me like "What are you doing?" I understood the look, but not believing my own eyes said "Want me to walk you in?" And he said "No mom. I'm good." The students/teachers who ran the preschool looked to him and me and shrugged. I cried all the way home. My FOUR YEAR OLD didn't need me.
I realized that I don't break down the first year because this is what they've been, and we as parents have been working to get to. I remember how I couldn't WAIT to get out of the house at 18. So I am usually so happy that they are so happy to be "there" in that moment that I can't, nor should I "ruin" it with my selfishness of not wanting to let them go. It's the second year... and the third... fourth... that the realization sets in that each year they go, the less of a chance I'm getting them back for much more time.
As a mother of three boys - I am keenly aware that sons, once married, spend more time with the brides families. Perhaps this plays in to my emotions.
But it's a beatiful day for a day trip to Pullman - where en route home, we are to "swing by" Cheney to give #7 some stuff HE forgot. But we'll get to see his new digs and may be the last sighting of him until we see him in the Kibbie Dome at the University of Idaho - at kickoff.
Okay Fall... I think I'm ready for you.
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