Helloooo, September

I love the month of September.

When I was a kid, school started in September, which meant back-to-school clothes shopping at the mall in Pueblo, which was a two hour drive away.

My parents always made a big deal out of that trip; it was one of the few opportunities that we had to eat in a nice restaurant, like, say Red Lobster (my inner foodie just died a little, but, I'll admit; those cheddar bay biscuits were to die for), and to purchase clothes that were actually in style (small-town life, pre-internet, was always at least two seasons behind on the fashion trends).

Once we got home, we each took turns trying on our outfits and modeling them for my dad, who had avoided the clothing store dressing rooms, opting instead to read the newspaper on benches scattered throughout the mall. After the fashion show, the clothes were hung in our closets to await the first day of school; there was absolutely no early wearing of the new school clothes.

I continued the tradition of buying new school clothes for my own kids, but, the first day of school began steadily creeping up, from September to sometime in August, each year earlier than the one before, or, so it has seemed.

I still love September, though. I love the promise of autumn in the chilly morning air. I love the start of the football season and the fact that squash and apples are abundantly available at the farmer's market. I love the gradual change in pace, from the lazy and relaxed days of summer to the slightly more hurried and scheduled days of adhering to the school bells. I love the changing light that offers opportunities for awesome outdoor photography and I love that the weather is still nice enough to warrant an evening on the porch.

Finally, I love September because it offers the chance to celebrate the birthdays of two of my favorite men-the Man-Cub and my dad. This year will be different, obviously, but, we will still celebrate.

In fact, the only reason not to love September is because it always ends too fast. I honestly believe that August and October should each surrender their 31st day to September, in order to make it last longer.

Honestly. I do.

Since that isn't likely to happen, I will just have to embrace every day of the month with the passion and enthusiasm that it deserves. Care to join me?