Yesterday my brother called to say that he’s engaged. I couldn’t believe it. My first thought was, you aren’t old enough to be getting married. Then I realized that actually my brother owns his own home, has a career, and leads a pretty stable life. I’d say that qualifies him for marriage, along with great character traits and a level of maturity that still takes me by surprise sometimes. Plus, he’s found a wonderful young woman who is a blessing to all of us.

That doesn’t change the fact though, that I feel old right now. My baby brother is ENGAGED. I can remember chasing each other around the backyard in our underwear like it was just last week.

Each season I perform certain rituals that signify changes in routine brought on by the weather. I have always particularly enjoyed the transition from hot, muggy days that breed laziness to the crisp, cool feel of fall. Growing up in the Mohave dessert has given me a healthy appreciation for rain and I enjoy ushering in the “mists” of Portland (since the rain here is actually pretty wimpy compared to the torrential downpours in Seattle).

As I strolled across campus yesterday on my way to a lab meeting in the Physics Department a gentle breeze whipped my sweater around me. The air smelled clean and fresh, as it only can in the fall. Even though it was supposed to hit 80 degrees in the afternoon, the morning seemed reluctant to acknowledge the meteorologists’ predictions. Having arrived early I couldn’t resist popping into Starbucks and ordering my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season. There really isn’t any better way to say hello to autumn. I cradled that cup as though my life depended on it and slowed my pace in order to savor my last few moments out-of-doors before descending into the dungeons of Science Building 1.

Then today I wrapped up my last batch of homemade applescauce and started drying apple slices to store for wintertime. I had really hoped to can before the end of summer but I think now I”ll just content myself with large vats of apple cider, a freezer full of stews and soups, and warm muffins just out of the oven.

How strange that today is a Tuesday and six years ago, 9/11 fell on a Tuesday as well.

I remember that morning as vividly as if it were yesterday. I was only a freshman in college when a dormmate woke all of us up with news that the US had been attacked. Our dorm full of girls huddled on the couches in the lounge for hours in pajamas and sweatshirts, crying, calling our families, praying, and watching the news. That semester was so different than any of us ever expected. I remember professors canceling class and instead, taking us out to sit on the lawn and talk about what had happened, what our responses were, and what we as individuals but also as a nation should do next. I had one class in particular where the discussions became very heated and me, being the outspoken military brat that I am, got into a HUGE argument with several other students in the class. Actually, it turned into a shouting match with myself, an ROTC cadet, and a few others standing on our chairs yelling, as we tried to get a word in edgewise.

Today I am a much different person than I was as a freshman in college but some things remain the same. My deep love for my country. The gratitude I feel for the men and women who have served in the armed forces on my behalf so that each day I can live in a country that boasts numerous freedoms. A strong respect for my President. And hope for the future of my nation, that we may seek the face of God in humility.

I continue to pray for those who lost friends and loved ones six years ago. I pray that their lives were not lost in vain. I pray for the soldiers still out on the battlefield. And I want to personally thank my good friend Ben for serving in Iraq and my father for his twenty years of faithful duty to his country. God bless you.

Time magazine wrote a quality piece commemorating today. To view it, click here.

This has become our new favorite game. Bryan and I bought it on vacation (it wasn’t cheap) and felt like it was quite the splurge but it was really worth it. We ended up playing for hours on end. This came about mostly because Alyssa only wins one out of 7 or 8 games so we had to play until we reached that point. Which culminated in Alyssa dancing about and reminding Bryan for the next hour that she had just kicked his tush.

The game is called Carcassonne, after a city in France and consists of small tiles that you try to build cities, roads, and farms with. You then claim those areas with “followers” (little wooden people that we affectionately call Meeples). There are several extensions to the game that include a dragon, towers, and trade commodities. Since each game is a little different than the last I never grow tired of playing. Plus, as I’ve already mentioned I have to play to reclaim my honor most of the time. Darn that competitive spirit.