I feel content tonight. The children and Bob and I hiked at McKinney Falls this morning and it felt so good just to be out in the season shift weather with people I love. K.K. and I noticed leaves falling from the trees in the woods, a steady green gold flutter downward - as she said "a literal example of the coming of fall." We noticed individual leaves, golden, or faded green on the path, beautiful portraits of a life and function lived out and passing to a new stage. We all delighted in the discovery, in a tiny pond among the rocks, of a skinny striped three foot long water snake and at least one leopard frog. Asters and morning glories in blues, pinks, and purples, forced their faces up through crevices in the rocks. The season of change is so alive.

And K.K. is like that too - richly alive, as she changes from girl to young woman. She had her first school dance Friday night (a sweet sixth grade dance with no couple dancing, just lots of chicken dance and Y.M.C.A., but the normal developing tensions of attraction and shyness (Does that cute boy who I haven't seen since second grade even remember who I am?) I see the changes in her brothers too, more maturity, more calm, more self awareness. Danny waked along the trail wisting bird song - joining in what he called, accurately, the birds morning party in the woods. he looked so relaxed, arms swinging, gait fluid. I wanted to bottle the moment. And Zachary is a mountain goat, a tree climber, delighted, unafraid but not reckless, just a joy - and really learning his letters now and understanding that he needs to.

And Bob. Bob is such a good man, such a joy to me - creating memories and experiences for me and the kids that wouldn't happen without his creativity and desire to make the best and most of every chance we have. We wouldn't have seen the snake if we hadn't gone to the park and we wouldn't have gone to the park if Bob hadn't thought to. I'm so fortunate in my husband, my life!