This week has been busy for Lara and I. Friday was a good example — I said goodbye to Lara at 4:30 AM to leave for work, and didn’t see her till I got back from an evening class at 9:30 PM.

But we are making the most of it. Once a month I have this weekend class on Christian Ethics, so today my whole Saturday was spent in a classroom. Luckily it is spent with some good friends who are taking it with me, and the things we are discussing are super important. But after being inside for 7 hours listening to a lecture, all I wanted to do was get out and enjoy these final beautifully mild Illinois days.

When I rolled up into our driveway after class, I noticed a beautiful apple lying by the side of the road. It had fallen off our neighbor’s tree. I couldn’t just leave it there to go to waste! It was still in perfect condition, so I snapped some pictures, gave it a good wash, and ate away. We had taken my sister Claire to an apple orchard a couple weeks ago, but this definitely brought back memories from Czech, where you don’t have to pay to pick apples from an orchard — you just visit your cottage in the countryside!

As I ate my apple I walked to Highland Park to meet Lara as she got off from work. We went and got some nachos from a local Mexican restaurant, and then spent some much-needed time soaking in the brisk Fall air. It’s about a 30 minute walk back to our house, and although Lara walks the route every day to work, I think she enjoys it the most when we are together! We are truly loving where we live, and are thankful for moments like these to reconnect after a long week.