it's fall in Michigan

(Charlie pulling himself up to the box of honeycrisps to take one huge apple in his little hands and sink his six teeth into the fresh skin - only to set it back into the box and take another huge apple into his little hands and sink his six teeth into that one until all the apples on the top layer have one tiny bite out of them.)

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once upon a time we crunched through autumn leaves, filling our lungs with fresh, crisp air and said " when we come back to visit Michigan from Africa, we shall always come in October."
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Unwittingly, somehow that was to come true.
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Maybe God just knows that October in Michgan equals peace in my spirit. A landscape of trees blazing into color almost before our eyes - smell of earth mixed with chai tea - air that stirs up vibrancy and awareness as it fills your lungs - pumpkins, apples, hand knit hats and fingerless gloves - hay rides, cramming in the last trips to the playground before winter drives us inward - Over the Rhine and Rosie Thomas and Sufjan Stevens - Walks along the river downtown past the blue bridge, following trails in the woods, acorns and busy squirrels and bright yellow school buses - scouring the shelves of the library for a book to curl under your favorite blanket with- the sun, low in the sky, shooting through the brooding darkness overhead, throwing everything into a brilliant versions of their own color that you just can't capture so you must stay and soak it into your heart and mind for as long as possible.
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Now autumn in Michigan has the added association of being home and surrounded by family and dear friends. Finding myself shocked and delighted every day by how big my favorite children have grown. Slipping into old friendships as easily as my favorite hoodie. Lunch at Marie's - chips and salsa and mexican food - the best curry fried rice ever - cherry french sodas at Kava - fountain dr pepper. Indulging in all that makes Michigan so dear. The people who make my hometown so dear. Worshiping in my church - throwing my head back and singing until my heart spills open - of loosing myself in something large and living and beautiful... and then sitting again, catching my breath to hear teachings that swirl into my soul - bringing out bigger ideas, fuller understandings, richer visions of who God is.
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I'm glad to be home. Even in the ache of missing Billy and Madyline. Even in the joy of all we love in South Africa, in NW Johannesburg, in Zandspruit and Emthonjeni. There is just something about Michigan in October that fills the deepest places in my spirit.