Change is in the air

Leaves fall in hues of red, orange, yellow and all mixes inbetween. The air has a crispness to it bringing on such lovely things as scarves, jackets, boots, and even mittens. It's not so cold that one dreads venturing outside, but rather, looks forward to the wave of freshness that ensues. The crunch underfoot emits aromas of sweetness into the air which is most pleasing to the nose. This is always most appreciated by one whose sense of smell is significantly heightened due to pregnancy.

It is in this glorious time that we find ourselves in the process of change. With winter fast approaching, as well as the birth of our little Latte, we felt it was time to look for another place to live, one with a bit more space. This would be helpful before the house becomes buzzing with friends and family. Thus, the quest began to search out a place that would suit our needs and not break our bank account. I looked at 7 different places and one stood out above the rest. As it turns out, it is a mere hop, skip and a jump from where we live now. However, this new place, which is a newer half duplex, has 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms (with tubs!!!), a living room, family room, storage, and larger kitchen with cupboards! Also, we are blessed to have a single car garage, in which we can use for storage, but we can also park a vehicle in there! What a wonderful thing this will be for the winter months, especially being pregnant and then having little Latte. No more cleaning snow off my car!

With finding a new place, however, comes packing and cleaning the place you currently reside in. We gave our notice and then realized rather quickly that this house was going to be shown to others who are searching for a new home. Our house, though not dirty, was definitely cluttered and in disarray. We needed to get this house show ready, and fast! We were heading away for the Thanksgiving weekend, and the first showings were going to be Tuesday evening. Hayden was leaving again for work Tuesday morning, thus that left Monday to get our place ready. We left Calgary at 8am and shortly after we arrived home we buckled down and began tackling the daunting task of cleaning our entire house and yard. We started at 11am, and as I started inside, room by room, Hayden began the outside clean-up. We didn't finish until 7:30pm! 8 1/2 hours later! What a long day that became, but our house looked amazing. So amazing I was sad to be leaving it!

As it turned out, our clean sweep was a success and many people came through the house, one being the next renters. We also had people interested in our art, which we had hanging up all over the place. Thus, we now can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that there is someone taking over this house for Nov 1st and it is out of our hands in just a mere couple of weeks. I still haven't been able to bring myself to begin packing, though I know I need to. It's hard when I'm tired most days and my man is away with work. I don't have the same drive. But I know it will get done. It has to!

The only thing left to do is find a washer and dryer for a good price, as the new place doesn't come with them. I'm positive God will provide that as well.

Thus, this is where we are at the moment. It's exciting and stressful all at the same time! So much to do, so little time to do it in. Change is good and I'm ready to settle into our new home, nest and prepare for the arrival of our little one. Maybe even do some baking in there :) On a cool, crisp day, there's nothing better then walking into a house that smells of cinnamon and apples.

Hope you are enjoying the fall and breathing in the fresh scents that accompany it.

Till next time.

Book Review: J.R.R. Tolkien by Mark Horne

The rolling hills of The Shire, the smoke-filled gloom of Mordor, the epic tales of selfless heroism, a vast history of a fantasy world called Middle Earth, and a hobbit. All born in the mind of one man, influenced by life's unexpected twists and turns, ups and downs and a steadfast faith in God.

From his birth in South Africa till his death in England, Mark Horne takes us on a compelling journey through the life of beloved author, J.R.R. Tolkien. The tragedies and triumphs, the hardships and good times, the friends and loved ones, and his growing faith in the Catholic Church, all of which shaped, not only the course of Tolkien's life, but also greatly influenced his works of writing; most notably the well-known and popular "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings".

As I began reading this biography, which is part of the Christian Encounter Series, I found myself pulled into the pages within mere moments. Mark Horne has a beautiful way of enticing a reader with language that is concise, easily read and understood.

As a fond lover of Tolkien's writing, there was an excitement to learn more about this man and his life, however I also had a slight fear my view of him could be tainted by what I read. This book, however, caused my appreciation of Tolkien to deepen, to feel inspired to reach higher for seemingly unattainable goals, and to count my blessings everyday. I appreciated how Mark Horne continually reminds the reader of Tolkien's faith through-out his life's journey, but doesn't bombard the reader with it either. This helps make it a good read for anyone interested in Tolkien's life, whether Christian or not.

All said and done, I was absolutely delighted with this book and looked forward to every moment I was able to sit down and read it. If you are interested in knowing more about J.R.R Tolkien, then this book is a great start to getting acquainted with this renowned author.

Aryn

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”