Fall is in the air. Happy Birthday sweetie.

This morning I stepped out the door for an 18 mile road run. The driveway was dotted with evidence that it had rained at some point in the early morning. It has been so long here in Southern California since we had rain that it almost made me shout with joy when the drops started falling about two miles into my run.
Off in the distance I could see the sun peeking through the clouds while above me was shrouded with that, it's going to rain for a while look. There's something about the changing of seasons that is magical.
As the wind blew leaves off of trees and its coolness chilled me, thoughts of warm fires, hot cocoa, and sharing time with my family while the snow falls outside filled my head. I pictured walking hand in hand with my wife Lisa while the boys glanced back occaisionally to make sure they weren't too far ahead. There's two blocks of houses near our street that go all out at Christmas time and we always stroll in the chilly air perusing the years offerings. Or of the times we would sit in the front room of the Pine Mountain house with only the light from the woodstove and the ihome player illuminating the cocoa mustaches of the kids and the sounds of Bing Crosby's White Christmas filling the air. We leave the front light on outside and watch from the warmth of the front room as the snowflakes put on a show. Lis and I could do that for hours, while the boys, after two minutes, tire of sitting on our laps and being cuddled and start asking, "Why are we doing this??" Gotta love 'em.
It rained for nearly an hour while I ran my route that I call Tour De Camarillo. The sky put on a show the entire time, changing constantly as the rain ceased and the sun regained its hold on Southern California. It's always great to have the time to be out in nature and reflect on great memories. By the end of winter I'll be longing for BBQ's and sitting out front on the porch until 9:00pm as the sun finally sets.
As I'm writing this the wind is really picking up and the sky is growing dark. I recieved a call from Bob saying that it snowed in Pine Mountain this morning. I can't wait to get up there and crank up the woodstove. We'll sleep in the front room right in front of the stove the first night until the heat reaches the bedrooms the next day. We'll get out the Bing Crosby and get ready. As the boys grow bigger and stronger we're able to contain them less, but we live for those precious moments that will become the memories for next year at this time when Fall is in the air once again.

It's Lisa's birthday Sunday!!!!!
I am so excited that this weekend we're going on a date to dinner and a movie. She'll be missed next week while at Hume Lake, so for this last weekend together before she leaves it's fitting that we have her Birthday to celebrate. Today as I ran and revisited fond memories it made me feel so blessed to be married to her. We've had so much fun in nine years of marriage and continue to have a great time with the boys and other family members. Honey, I love you so much. I hope your birthday is a celebration of your life and the life we've built together. You are the perfect wife and mother. We are lucky to have you. Happy trails. Mike.