My favorite time of the year

January is delicious. After all the excitement of the holidays, it is nice to have the children back in school and recover my daily routine. My home becomes my kingdom again. The snow on the ground is still crystal white and I can dream of cross-country skiing.

The winter wonderland becomes a cold, hard winter by the time February comes around. But that's okay because February is birthday month. Three birthdays to celebrate, three cakes, three flavors of ice cream, lots of presents and many smiles. February is lovely.

The comes March. The sun peeks out of from the winter haze. The bravest flowers awaken to say hello. March is heavenly.

April, April, April. You gave me a daughter. My paradise on earth. My Eden. You gave me my marriage. You give me sunshine and perfect weather and tulips. April is my delight.

May is Memorial Day and the first barbecue of the summer and the opening of outdoor swimming pools. May is a happy month.

June brings smiles to my children as they begin their summer vacation. It is flowers and flags. June ain't half bad.

July! My birthday, 4th of July, Pioneer Day, snow cones dripping down my chin. Children with sticky popsicles and ice cream cones and lots of red, white and blue. July rocks.

August. Deep breath. School is in session, folks, and Mom can breathe again. Summer was fun--no doubt--but there is more to life than fun. Like having time to be me: writing, exercising, reading and nibbling chocolate while the baby sleeps. August is divine.

Those months are all wonderful. But they got nothin' -- nothin' at all -- on Autumn!

SEPTEMBER! I peek out my front door, wincing from the memory of heat that baked my skin a month before, but there is only the gentle kiss of cooler weather. I smile. All is well in the world. A rainy day, clouds in the sky, red leaves and pure heaven. September, I love you with all my heart.

OCTOBER! You are a celebration of perfect weather! You are a celebration of imagination as Halloween time nears! You are the beginning of the holiday season and I think I just might have a cup of hot cocoa before the month is done. Ahhhhctober.

NOVEMBER! I could itemize my Thankfulness but wouldn't that be so cliche for this month? I am grateful for November, nonetheless.

DECEMBER! Sleigh bells ring, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Snowflakes keep fallin' on my head. I'm dreaming of a White Christmas.

And it's a Wonderful Life, folks. Every month. Every year.

I woke up this morning and exercised my body and fed my spirit and felt the Autumn chill in the air and fell in love with life all over again. Then Eden woke up and smiled and cooed and I put a book in her hands and I swear she pretended to read it. She would look at the page, then coooo goooo laaa baaa, then look at me and grin, then do the whole thing again.

And I said a prayer: "Dear God, thank you for giving me one more day with this sweet child."

Every day is a gift. Go outside and enjoy your Autumn.

Photo courtesy of Heather Clark Photography.

More fabulous photos to come!