This morning Marshall called me soon after he left for class. He just wanted to tell me I should start my car at least fifteen minutes before I needed to leave—there was so much frost that he figured I would freeze otherwise.

Does that mean fall is over?

 I sort of think it does. I’m getting ready to put up Christmas decorations next week, and we’re planning holiday events with family…and I can’t believe it’s that time again.

This fall was a tough one for us in a lot of ways, but it also held some really really good things. Here’s five of the best ones.

Our anniversary trip.

 We spent two nights in the mountains close to Lake McCall and it.was.perfect. We may become die-hard campers. Or something. Maybe not, but it was SO FUN to sleep late and wake up to the magical trees and bushes turning fall colors. We ate too many hi-chews, and sat in the sun by the lake, and marveled at the fact that we’ve been married a WHOLE YEAR. Also, we got chased by a moose and lived to tell the story.

EMMA ELAINE CLARK.

Aaron & Jane’s baby. She finally arrived safe and beautiful after many days of wondering when she would decide to show up. She’s perfect—we drove over to WA for 24 hours and saw with our very own eyes. Babies are miraculous. She’s grown so much already in her few weeks of life and it’s such a joy to watch from afar via pictures and videos and FaceTime.

Cozy days working at NNU.

The fun thing about Marshall being in college is that we often can work together—I write copy for clients or brainstorm new content, and he reads books and writes papers for his many classes. Sometimes we distract each other more then we get stuff done, but its so comforting and friendly to smirk at each other over our lattes and type on our laptops and hold hands in between.

Weekend in California.

My precious Great-Uncle Dave finally got to go be with Jesus in late October. We were able to go down to California for his funeral, and I was so grateful. Funeral weekends are so bittersweet—but we got to go to Matthias and Rayanna’s wedding that weekend, and spend time with family, and breathe the smell of eucalyptus after the beautiful California rain. And we cried and laughed about all the memories we had growing up with Uncle Dave filling a grandpa role in our lives. It was hard, but also healing.

A campfire date.

Covid went through our church family this fall, and so we felt isolated at home in a lot of ways, even though we thankfully missed getting it, this time. But one Saturday evening at the very end of October, we decided our tiny fire pit had been neglected long enough, and we should at least have a campfire for just the two of us. We wrapped up in pajamas and blankets and turned on our sparkly string lights and drank decaf coffee and talked about how relationships with God are all individual and different. We were tired, and I had a headache—but it still felt like a gift in the middle of some hectic weeks.

I’m ready for some Christmas cheer and time off work and low-pressure time with family now—this fall wasn’t all easy. But the good things were GOOD! And I don’t want to ever miss them. And I hope this list inspires you to notice your good things, too.