Reflections

Provo has a distinct and pleasant smell that accompanies the arrival of autumn, and the smell brings many memories. Here are a few things I am reminded of when I "smell fall in Provo."
Year 1: If I am driving on University Avenue, I am reminded of my bike and car rides to my very first job. I think about how awesome it was to get paid to create masterpieces on paint, watch movies, study for tests, and best of all, to take naps because nobody ever called our company. I think about my first semester in Cox apartments with my super fun roommates. I had this one roommate that would get mad if she woke up and our roommate was showering when she needed to use the bathroom. I think about this every fall because it was one of the funniest things that ever happened in that apartment. I think about always knocking on my neighbors door asking if I could use their bathroom because ours was always full. I also remember walking past (is it passed or past?) my brother's truck on the way to class and writing him little notes just to say hello.
Year 2: I think about the first few months of being married to Brian. We used to stay up until midnight studying in the library because we had completely different schedules and we didn't have internet at home. Sometimes I wish we could go up to the library late at night together. I also think about our first trip up the canyon to see the beautiful fall colors and we ended up just 2 yards away from a giant moose (so scary). Of course I think about our gross ear wax candle home evening.

Year 3: I think about when we lived in that tiny house on 3rd north and seventh east. This was a great end to our first summer with a garden. We made so much spaghetti that fall with our tomatoes. I think about when we carved pumpkins for the first time together in that tiny house. I also think of my attempts to use real leaves, etc to decorate the house for fall and dressing up as grapes for Halloween. I always think about my stress management class that I took fall '09 because I loved to sit in the sun shining through our kitchen window, with the cool fall breeze blowing on my face and the smell of baking cookies while I read my stress management book.




Year 4: I think about taking short walks with a sleeping ball of a baby in the moby wrap, Brian starting his first semester of grad school, me starting what I thought would be my last fall semester of school, speed walking to class with a stroller and thinking "how will I ever get through 9 more months of school?!"

Year 5: This is my fifth and last fall I will be spending in Provo. I have really come to love this place. I love the sweet memories that hopefully I will always remember with the arrival of fall. I have enjoyed my education here, and although I thought I would never say this, I am REALLY going to miss being a student. I have enjoyed just about every detail of my life here. I have learned and grown so much as an individual, wife and mother and I am excited to see what is in store this next chapter of our lives. I hope that next fall I will remember this as the most rewarding and enlightening fall I've had in Provo. I hope I will have sweet memories of walking up and down the sidewalk with my sweet son Calvin, while holding hands with Brian (since we do this almost every day). Oh, and we can't forget chili, cornbread, pie, squash and apple cider. :D

I feel so blessed to have a simple reminder (the smell and scenery of fall) of the sweet and simple things in life.