But as it turns out... 21 is actually NOT TOO SHABBY.

21 .... backwards

    This morning I woke up to the feeling of fall.
    Of course, "autumn" is more of a relative word when you come from the sun-shining desert, but as I set off on my jog the breeze just smelled like the beginning of the holiday season.
    This morning's 8 miles was probably double the farthest distance I ever jogged before my mission.  It felt so good.  I suppose that's what they dub "runner's high" because the longer I ran, the farther I wanted to run.
 
    This week after work I've enjoyed going out with some old friends, taking walks with the fam, listening to music {ohh how I missed it} and geeking out with new novel ideas.  I tried to be upset but then watched General Conference and had my bad mood thoroughly spoiled.... of course.
Just for fun, here are some bonus pics from our family photoshoot last August:

Cordon Bleu, Spätzle and Rotkraut

Wiener Schnitzel, Knödl and Sauerkraut

I took Adam and Felicia's first anniversary pics.

sending Liv off to Homecoming

and helping her ask her crush out to Winter Formal

Tyler and I at Adam's homecoming football game.  We have been friends since we were babies.

I'm not totally sure what the future's going to hold.  It's nerve-wracking, it's exciting.  But for these next short couple months, I hope to soak in my home and make the best of this precious time, because I already know that people grow up way too fast.

 It's funny how you can spend 2 years apart but yet a couple weeks still feel like an eternity. 

 I came to his house early to decorate his bedroom and hung out with his sisters, playing with the dogs and losing 4 rounds of Jenga till he showed up at 11.  Then I joined in the family movie party watching Suicide Squad.


 And then his AWESOME stepdad Jim took us flying.
There's something about cities from above.  When the night is dark but for the slivered moon, and the  metro lights twinkle like electrified gems, it's just serene.  I sat in the passenger seat and wore headphones, listening in on the air traffic radio as we took off.  The plane was so tiny that Jim literally pulled it manually out to the road.  Yet off we went, soaring so high that we could see Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert and even Tucson.  Brave Jim even allowed me to steer the plane for  a little!







Afterwards we visited high school friend Amanda, tried to talk but got kicked out of our parking place at the underpass by a cop {only after we ignored him for a solid minute because we thought he was the pesky teenaged boys from earlier}, and rummaged through a box of old things with his mama.
It took about ten separate attempts to say goodbye and then leave.... but yet, just like that, it was over, and he was headed back to Utah.  Till next time...