typical fall

you'd be fooled if you thought this post is what fall looks like every day in belgium. no no no. rather, one atypical day of weather mixed with the typical fall backdrop provided us a moment a earthly splendor.

boy were we grateful that mr. golden sun decided to share his cheery disposition with this small country of ours-grateful for the absense of haze, clouds, fog, mists, and all their cousins-grateful for farmer families whose produce seems to surpass sophistication in every way simply because it's descriptions are written in french-essentially, we were grateful for the very uncommon occasion.

we're off to the temple this weekend. although we are without the church magazines currently, the october issue is all about temples, and is all available online, and if you don't have time to read it, you can listen to the articles. i know God is ready, more accessible, more nigh, when we go to His house. hopefully i can understand more french in the temple than when it came to these greenhouse vegetables. au revoir!

a hidden gem of a village called ittre

in between conference sessions we were able to revisit a little 'ville' we drove camera-less-ly through last month. it's hard for me to believe sometimes that villages like this actually exist. goodness europe-when you are on, you are on!

the very vest

the vest my mom got in college during her "chunkier" days.

the vest that could always be found in our childhood dress up box in the basement.

the vest my brother wore in his fourth grade play.

the very vest i brought to europe. it made the cut into the small suitcase.

don't you have clothes with a rich lineage that are perfect for your most nostalgic days? mom's vest is mine.

month two

another month bites the dust. hard to believe. i was about to write that month two has been better to us, but i think i'm just better understanding my life here, better aware. i hope not so much that things have changed, but that i am changing... i hope.

month two's goings and comings, triumphs and failures:

haven't heard the moaning dog next door as often because of the loud heaters.

gone running less for what i blame to be bad weather, but its just an excuse.

hosted our first visitors.

no more anxiety attacks over grocery shopping.

first decoration in our home appeared this month: a purple candle.

connected with family less this month.

seen some honest belgian winter weather. yuck.

spotted the first christmas decorations in stores this week: saint nicholas clad in white chocolate. therefore turned on the christmas tunes. with no halloween or thanksgiving holidays here, i am justified in my actions, right?

really come to love the feeling on pay day.

living off a suitcase of familiarity after all my outfits are now on cycle two.

gvideo-ed with our families for the first time this month. sore cheeks for ten minutes afterward.

the definition of my weekend:

Sublime:

1.elevated or lofty in thought, language, etc.

2.impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power.

verb-3.to make higher, nobler, or purer.

thank heavens for the internet to watch conference, sunshine-the 70 degree weather was the warmest in weeks, the hope in a fresh start monday, belgian people i am coming to adore, marriage that will last into the eternities, quaint villages, packages from home, 6 months of new study material, v-flying geese, open heavens through which God speaks higher, nobler, purer(sublime) words today, and that same God always giving me an elevated and impressed(sublime) heart despite all it's flaws.