Wenonga and September

I started an email to friends awhile back by letting them know that when I write the word "September", I am also singing along in my head to Earth, Wind and Fire.... (You can listen as you read if you like). I used to dislike the fall, but something happened in recent years. It is just such a special time of year to me anymore. Lots of memories - among the top, I am thankful for my time at Wenonga. For a year and a half, I had the pleasure of living with some friends in a house on Wenonga, while I was in graduate school. Five years ago, I had started my fall semester of my first year of PT school, and I was in the throes of human anatomy (complete with cadaver lab that had me in tears prior to my first lab - sitting in the hall, crying about trying to make it through that first 4 hour afternoon - amazing how insurmountable that class felt, and now I am sitting here still able to remember what formaldehyde smelled like on my clothes). I don't think I was a very fun person to be around at the time. I distinctly remember having the thought that nobody would want to date me while a graduate student as I felt like there was no time to get to know somebody. My roommates were good to me though, and instead of allowing me to study one Saturday night, insisted I come along with them to the American Royal to hang out with some of their friends. Where I met Matt Totsch. From four girls and two dogs, we became five girls and one dog. I could write about so many memories from that time - a vacuum explosion, raking leaves, Blakely's coffee cake on Saturday mornings, watching the Office together, Gunner insatiably wanting cuddles. These girls graciously celebrated when Matt and I got engaged and then when we got married. Last year, we were celebrating at our good friends Julie and Scott's wedding, with Ruby in my tummy (about a week or two away from entering the world).

I miss them and the blessing it was to live with them. I hold special memories of Crystal practicing aerobics moves in our living room, of Natalie kindly helping me do my hair because I never could, of Sara listening to a story, of Blakely coming to study alongside me, of Megan's generous heart.... Allow some sappiness for a minute, but I would not be the wife and mom I am today without the influence of their friendship. And I thank them for that sweet season in life.