so much beauty.

{via forever wondering}

today is one of those days where i take deep breaths simply to drink it all in. beauty surrounds me. today is one of those days where i remind myself not to take life for granted. where i remind myself not to miss all of this.

it is a day that invites fall in - if not by the temperature alone, by the cool breezes that billow up from the underbelly of the pines. the air from the forest floor escapes, and reaches its crisp fingers all the way to the suburbs. it streams in through my screen door, and makes me appreciate this life i've been given. it reminds me that when it comes down to it, life is all about the simple little joys.

i'd be lying if i said i didn't miss pittsburgh most in the fall. it's my absolute favorite time of year, and brings my nostalgia roaring back. i have so many memories of playing soccer games, and watching football games, and bonfires, and jumping in the leaves, and the crispness of the wind, and the smell of the grass as the weather turns cooler.

i love how the colors of fall look when seen dropped along the rolling hills, and the way they burst forth and suck the heat out of the day as if they take all those golden rays and turn them into their own versions of golds and oranges and reds.

i love the memories of soccer games and practices during the perfect september and october days - those days when you stepped outside, and every fiber of your being wanted to remain there drinking it in until the sun went down.

the trips out to sigland in college, where we would huddle around a roaring bonfire in our sweatshirts and jackets and talk about random things - classes, and practice, our teams, and games, and big life questions, and whether or not one could actually climb to that branch on the tree next to the fire.

and now, the fall brings walks with the stroller. we step outside into the cool air and hear the satisfying crunch of a few leaves under wheels and boot-clad feet. we see shocks of deep red, or yellow, or burnt orange peeking through on one branch of a tree, obviously itching to spread the warmth to the rest. and one of these days, we'll wake up and see that God has broken out his paintbrush overnight, and changed them all to match the season.

in a couple weeks we're taking a day trip up to the mountains, and i'm simply beside myself thinking about it.

in the mornings i've been sipping on pumpkin spice coffee, and in the evenings i've turned to hot cider. i've started pulling on light sweaters, and scarves, and boots. i recently painted my nails a deep dark wine color that looks almost black and is one of my favorite fall/winter shades...

when you step outside today, do me a favor: pause. close your eyes. breathe deep. breathe in the crisp, cool air. open your eyes and see all the beauty God has given you.

xo

p.s. our baby boy is 11 months old today! 

pictures coming soon...