Welcome September

It finally happened: the hot weather stretch of the last week and a half gave way to cool breezes this evening. Gone is the sticky August air and in its place the promise of gorgeous autumn days to come.

... At least for the next couple of days until it heats back up into the high 80s again. And it will heat back up again. Summer isn't over just yet.

Still, I'm glad to see September. It brings with it fall, my favorite season, and ushers in glorious October, the grand dame of the calendar.

"My favorite poem is the one that starts, 'Thirty days hath September' because it actually tells you something," - Groucho Marx.

September does tell us something: change is in the air. The seasons are shifting, and while that happens every year, this year, it feels more weighted for me ... like there is more significance to it all. I haven't figured it out yet, but I do know I want to take in every moment of it; to be truly present and not just marking days off the calendar.

Many people consider Labor Day the end of summer, but I like to think of it as the beginning of fall. I've enjoyed a great long weekend and hope the same was true for you. Here's what the weekend taught me:

• Cheer. I love home football games, not only because I get to watch my son perform in the marching band, but also because of the sense of community the high school games provide. That stadium is packed with more than cheering fans; it's a collective spirit of camaraderie and fellowship wrapped in school colors.

Marching band setting up to play the national anthem before the football game.

•  Spend time with others. We went to a cook-out at a friend's house on Saturday evening and had lunch with my in-laws Sunday afternoon. Lots of smiles and laughter ensued over delicious meals with those we love.

A restaurant that overlooks a horseshoe bend in the Ohio River affords this bird's-eye view.

•  Spend time together. With our son staying at a friend's house last night, my husband and I went to a movie ... on a Sunday night ... paid non-matinee prices ... and bought popcorn. That sort of indulgence just for us doesn't happen nearly as often as it should.

Date night.

•  Enjoy the season, no matter what season it is. We stopped at a local farm store and winery this afternoon for some yummy stuff from the bakery and produce bins. I got all giddy at the goodies offered.

•  Be grateful. I loved my three-day weekend and the opportunity to spend it doing fun stuff with great people. And as Labor Day comes to an end, I am also very grateful for the fact that I have a job waiting for me tomorrow.

It's a blessing to be able to provide for my family through meaningful work.