At Last

Anyone who stepped foot outside yesterday was lucky enough to feel fall slowly making its way to Lake Norman. I walked out of my house to run around 7:30 and was pleasantly surprised at the chill I felt in the air. I almost traded my tank for a T-shirt. When's the last time that happened?

Don't get me wrong, summer at Lake Norman is wonderful, but last week's humidity sent me over the edge. Every time I went outside I returned with beads of sweat on my face and wet splotches on my shirt. Even my 2.5-year-old twins had had enough. When asked if they wanted to go outside to play in the afternoons, they immediately replied, "No, mom. It's too hot." To me that's a sign that we're ready for the seasons to change.

As the day progressed it got warmer, but it still managed to be perfect. After dinner we went on a pontoon cruise — wearing sweaters believe it or not. My husband stopped the boat in the middle of the lake so we could enjoy the sunset. And for a few minutes, we all sat still and watched the sun gracefully drop into pink pockets of clouds. The Tots waved goodbye, as they promised they'd see the sun in the morning. Immediately I was taken back to that Lifesaver's commercial where the father watches the sunset with his son, who immediately asks when the sun disappears if his dad can do that again.

Those are the parenting moments you want to hold onto forever. As I watch our twins ride along in the boat, I'm overjoyed that they appreciate the water as much as my husband and I do. We're all so lucky to live in this area, especially this time of year.