Labor Day Weekend reflections.

So, it's been an extremely long time since I updated this blog and I feel a little lame about that. Usually when summer is about to end, I feel a bit of panic and disappointment, wanting it to continue for a couple more weeks, before all those shortened cold busy days set in. But I've had a great summer, though you wouldn't know it from my blog.

Since Paul graduated back in May, we've had evenings and weekends together, unencumbered by papers, tests, classes, and studying. It's really been grand and we've been able to go camping (twice), hiking (twice), kayaking, tubing, to outdoor concerts, home to New Hampshire, home to Chicago, out to visit relatives in rural Virginia, as well as the regular weekend excursions (favorite local restaurants, movies, walks, etc.). We've also had the privilege of several friends visiting our place here in Arlington to tour DC. We've been gone pretty much every weekend.

We've also done some thinking about where we've been and where we're headed and where we'd like to be after our time here. Less than a year ago, the plan was to stick it out for 3-5 years...Paul would finish school and find a job...Aubrey would go to school and then find a job...and we'd make a name for ourselves for a little bit and then return to Chicago. But we burned out from the hectic busyness of the DC lifestyle quicker than we thought we would, and we don't wish for more days of long hours, long commutes, and workaholism. So we decided instead to make the move to Chicago quicker...that is...after a year of teaching English in South Korea (which will start in January).

And so the rhythms of fall have arrived, and after a restful Labor Day weekend, I am ready for the coolness to settle in. Today we had a great time having breakfast with family, going to a Nationals game, and finishing it off with a concluding summer beer bratwurst and sweet potato fries.

Adieu, summer.