Septembers.

My years always start in September. January is cool for everyone else, but its just how I've always marked my years. Its probably because that's when I was born. Or because school always feels like the beginning of the year... who knows.

Something I am really thankful for is that I started blogging so long ago. Sure... my first posts from back in the day are little annoying. I cringe reading some of them, and laugh at others. My spelling mistakes are ridiculous. And the things I thought were funny or interesting are surely not. But having my blog is a cool way to watch how I've grown over the years.

September 2006:

My senior year in high school. I had my little teal Pontiac and a ton of classes with Mr. Tarry. 3 out of 5, actually. My very best friends were Katy and Talicia. I'm pretty sure Katy and I had all the same classes.

September 2007:

I lived in Alabama. I didn't blog a lot for two reasons, I had school and a job. It was my first job, at Starbucks, and I loved it. The beginning of my coffee career! I said something about not having that real 'home feeling'. I think that has something to do with that age and stage in life.

September 2008:

Ah, 2008. My first year of my twenties. I worked at Forza and made about 5,000 new friends. I spent my days making coffee and my nights running around Puyallup like we ran the place. This was also the September that my precious Pontiac got crushed. Not by my doing, of course!

September 2009: (I didn't have a blog post in that September, WEIRD)

Probably my hardest year thus far in my life. I lived in Georgia for half of the month. My new car was smashed, I got two annoying tickets, I was homesick... but I grew a lot. God used that time in my life to really strengthen my relationship with Him, and to learn to trust Him fully.

September 2010:

This was another slightly hectic year. I had been a full-time nanny for almost a year at this point, and was feeling like I had no social life. Spending 12 hours a day with two boys who cannot talk, and no other human interaction... was really taking a toll on me. But this is also when I started to really enjoy antiquing and crafting and baking. And I took full advantage of naptime by doing all those things while the boys slept!

So that brings us to the present. September 2011. My life is full of biking and coffee making and school and nannying and younglife. I love every minute of it. God has blessed me with amazing people to work and live with. I'm sure I'll have a better reflection of this September in a few years, when I have more time to process it all. ;)

Fall Nights

At first, I thought I would be so bummed when the new football stadium was built.

What? No muddy field? EVERYONE will be able to sit down? The seats are covered? Where will all the middle schoolers walk around? I don't know about this...

It didn't take long to change my mind. In fact, I loved the new stadium from the very first game I went to last fall. I took this picture on Friday at Orting's game against White River. Is this not the most beautiful view? To the west, an orange-y pink sunset. To the east, Mt. Rainier set in a purple sky. When I hear the Orting fight song, this is the view that comes to mind. I love it!

I think the thing I love most about the new stadium, and the old stadium, is that the entire town is at the football game. I was talking with my friend Jessica, who I also happen to nanny for, about this. If you want to be a part of the community, you have to be at the games. Its where you meet everyone from Orting. Not that there are THAT many people to meet ;)

Being a YoungLife leader makes the games even more fun. We have kids on the field, in the band, on cheer and dance, and just hanging out watching the game. Never a dull moment. I love our tiny town.