OCTOBER 2021

Have We Been Here Before?

October brought sports sports sports season! I got to attend little league baseball and middle school soccer games thanks to my students and close friends. These games brought so much fun and joy to be able to come out and support the effort and talent these young people have put into preparation and game time.

You may notice that my hair is black in some pictures, that is because I went dark for the winter.

October is by far my favorite month of the year. The seasons change, the cool weather comes in, its the time of year for pumpkin patches, Apple Hill, and spooky season. So let me catch you up on my side of the month.

As listed above in the best things about October (and fall in general), I went to Apple Hill with a friend and got to enjoy all the beauties and treats. I also went to the Pumpkin Patch with my friend Amy, who you can see pictured above. Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland is by far my favorite pumpkin patch of all time. It brings back so many sweet memories from childhood when I would go there with friends and family. And even as an adult, it is still so much fun!

You can also see some pictures of me and my spiritual family on the bleachers at our brother’s baseball games during the season. Cheering on young people who are so dedicated to a sport is so fun.

There’s also a selfie with one of my close friends, Cheyenne. She was a huge support to me during the hard times that came during the month, and I’m so appreciative to have her in my life.

I have been going through a mental health journey recently, and have discovered so much about the way my brain operates and what has disadvantaged me during my life. It has been a challenging process, but an eye opening one that I believe will help me to better set myself up for success and fullness of life in the future. Some of you may know that I have struggled a lot with anxiety and depression in my life. I discovered there may be another contributing factor: ADHD. So many things about the way I think and operate have begun to make sense as I’ve explored this explanation for my current state of being. This is a step in the right direction.

As you can see in the pictures above, I am also in the process of training some new volunteers for Modern Abolition (MA). And part of the training process was teaching them how to make their own custom item on clothing. These ones have some good taste, and I think I’ll keep them all around for awhile.

If you didn’t notice the castle in the pictures above yet, let me bring it to your attention. Beautiful isn’t it? This is none other than the Disneyland Castle in Anaheim. I took a few day trip down to So Cal with my good friend Ashley to visit the Happiest Place On Earth (that is not an exaggerative slogan as this is definitely my happy place). It was my first time experiencing Galaxy’s Edge AKA Star Wars Land, and it was both immersive and breathtaking. It had been a few years now since I’d been due to finances and covid, so it was quite a lovely treat for my favorite month of the year. The one comment I do have, I thought Disneyland would be just as magical in the rain… I was wrong… I hope to never be soggy and drenched in the most magical place on earth again, really put a damper on my magic. Yet, the magic of that trip still lives on in my heart as I re-enter reality.

Midtown Church hosted it’s very first Fall Fest on Halloween! It was a huge blast. Above, you can see a picture of me dressed up in my Kiki (from Kiki’s Delivery Service) costume for the festivities. I was able to decorate a booth with the help of wonderful volunteers that was anime themed (specifically Studio Ghibli). The booth was a hit and we ran out of candy in the end, many many pounds of candy. The trick or treaters were so fun to welcome and send on their way with a coloring page and candy.

Overall, my favorite month of the year did not disappoint. I had a blast and am grateful for every moment.

What I learned this month was that God is faithful in every season, and that He made life to be enjoyed. I know it isn’t my Thanksgiving update yet, but I am so thankful for this life I get to live and the people around me. I am truly blessed.

As always, thanks for reading!