Spoiler Alert!

If you are a fan of The Office and haven't yet seen the season premiere, don't scroll down!

AHHHH!!!! It finally happened! Jim proposed to Pam OUT OF NOWHERE! I was home alone watching the episode and I had to laugh at myself when I realized that I had been sitting there with my mouth open for about a minute straight. How exciting is this?! Of course, we all know that something will keep them from tying the knot right away. Maybe those new friends Pam is making at school? Hmm... I can't wait to see where the writers go with this! I am just so happy :-)

Love and Lattés,

Katie

Love Love Love

As we were driving on Sunday afternoon in our nice church clothes, we were listening to Norah Jones and being the adorable couple that we are... it started to rain, steadily at first and then it really started to come down.. on an impulse, he pulled the car over on the side of the road.. We both got out of the car.. I was barefoot, and the grass on the side of the interstate was cold, but I didn't care.. it was raining hard enough that by the time we got to each other, my hair was stringy and my eye makeup was running... he took me in his arms, and with the sound of the rain on the car and the thunder in the distance, he kissed me so passionately that afterwards, we just stood there, shivering, nose to nose, rain dripping off of my eyelashes.

That wasn't an exerpt from a romance novel.. it was something I wrote in October of 2004 during my first trip to South Carolina to see Justin. I had completely forgotten that I used to write down my thoughts on livejournal.com, and recently stumbled upon years of memories when I came across my old account. It was like discovering a time capsule... very cool!

My sweetie comes home from a two-week work trip tomorrow. I can't wait to see him! It's been four years since I wrote about our kiss in the rain, and we are still just as much in love now as we were then. I'm a lucky lady. :-)

Love and Lattés,
Katie

I Dare You!

How many of the 100 most commonly used words in the English language can you name in five minutes? I, an English major, only got 51%. How well can you do?

http://quizicon.com/quiz?id=37

Ode to Autumn

Fall came today. Not in the literal sense, though, because it doesn't officially start for a few more days. But as far as I'm concerned, autumn is here and I am loving it. I can't put my finger on why the arrival of fall puts me in such a good mood. Is it because my birthday is in November? Because of the changes in the weather and the reds and oranges that brighten the landscape? Because the holiday season is upon us? All of these are good reasons, but I think mainly I just enjoy the feeling of fall. I love the crisp chill in the air, the smell of the fall foliage, the pumpkins, the cider... all of it. I always start to feel so festive this time of year in preparation for the months ahead. Even if I have to do it alone, I still carve a pumpkin each year, and I've also been known to eat my fair share of candy corn. Why don't I get the "warm fuzzies" during springtime and summer? Those are great seasons too. Perhaps it's because I'm a Michigan girl at heart, and life just isn't complete without scarves and mittens, hayrides and hot chocolate. I don't know about you, but I say bring on fall, and winter too!

Love and Lattés,
Katie

"Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower." -Albert Camus

Remembrances

This month marks an unhappy anniversary for me. In a couple weeks, I will have been away from my parents and brother for an entire year. It was wonderful to see my sister the two times she visited. Being with her brought back a flood of emotions and memories, and I miss her already, too. There is just something very strange about a family being separated for so long. Since I last saw my family, I have celebrated a birthday and a wedding anniversary, I have become an aunt, and I started a new job, among other things. It seems to me that milestones like these are meant to be shared with family, and it always seems a little impersonal to do everything over the phone and through e-mail. I miss them so much. I miss Mom's affection and Dad's encouragement. I miss Clark's ability to make me laugh, and the fact that there is never a dull moment when Callie and I are together. I miss Skye, the family dog. I miss the home where I spent years growing, changing, making mistakes and learning from them. I miss the sounds, smells, sights, textures, and tastes of my youth, which are already starting to feel like a distant memory.

The past year has had its ups and downs, and of course one of those downs has been the distance between my family and me. Still -- and what I am about to say may surprise you -- I wouldn't change any of it. Would it have been nice to see my family on a regular basis over the past 12 months? Yes, definitely. Do I miss them like crazy? It drives me to tears sometimes. But by being separated the way we have been, the encounters we share now are so very special. I have gained an appreciation for things I never even paid much attention to before. I hope that in the future, we don't have to spend another whole year apart, but if we do, we will get through it because we are strong, and the bond that holds us together can withstand any amount of time.

Love and Lattés,
Katie