The lovely Leigh Kramer hosts the "What I'm Into" link-up each month, and every once in a while I get myself together enough to join in on time. This fall was busy but beautiful, probably the warmest autumn we've had since we moved to Indiana. Highlights:

Books

Rilke's Book of Hours: beautiful poems written from a monkish, Russian-mystic persona

The Burning Word by Judith Kunst: my first real introduction to Midrash, a Jewish way of encountering the Bible, this book by poet Judith Kunst was absolutely enthralling. I'll be using this, Rilke, and Winner's Wearing God in a class I'm teaching next spring.

Short-Term Mission by Brian Howell : this ethnographic study of the the ways we talk about short term mission and why that matters fascinated me.

The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante: four novels set in Naples, Italy. I started reading these as a way to prepare for my upcoming trip to Italy (January), and loved what they said about womanhood, power, jealousy, and friendship.

Ms Marvel by G. Willow Wilson: devout teenage hero FTW.

The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny: the latest in my favorite mystery series did not disappoint.

Music
Chvrches - Every Open Eye
When my kids were obsessed with TSwift, it was Chvrches that gave us some relief. For this - and for many other reasons - they have my everlasting love.

Rain for Roots - Waiting Songs
These Advent songs are fantastic. Track four is my favorite.

TV
We started watching The Great British Bake Off season 5 on Netflix over vacation, and it's the perfect kind of vacation show. The most low-key and understated reality show ever.

The Good Wife is still our favorite show on TV now. The Grinder makes us laugh, and that's enough.

There were elements of Master of None that I loved, but ultimately it seemed a bit empty.

(I also watch Empire, Nashville, and Jane the Virgin pretty religiously, but Jack does not. We liked the first few episodes of Crazy-Ex (that Covina song!), but got bored with it.)

Movies
Mockingjay was not as good as Part 1, for me.

Brooklyn is a sweet romantic drama that made me cry.

Normally in my American Pop Culture for ESL students class we watch Juno, but this year I tried out Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and I liked it! It led to some good classroom discussion about individualism, directness, and relationships.

Writing
I wrote about what my favorite children's chapter book, Betsy-Tacy Go Over the Big Hill, can teach us about welcoming our refugee neighbors, and I had pieces in Christianity Today and Books & Culture.

Oh, and I signed a book contract!

Life

Rosie broke her arm on the monkey bars.

Jack ran a marathon in under 4 hours. The kids did a fun run. I took pictures.

We visited the Indiana Dunes. It was gorgeous!

We had parties in our yard.

I took a student (and friend!) to visit Trinity Forum Academy in Maryland.

The first snow didn't come until late November, and it was a perfect one: about five inches, about 35 degrees, great for packing and tracking and sleds.

We spent Thanksgiving in Arkansas, and as usual, visited our favorites: Two Rivers park and Pinnacle Mountain, Heights Taco and Tamale and Mylo Coffee. Oh, and a few favorite people, too. Magic Treehouse books on CD helped the long drive-time pass quickly for the kids. Jack and I read out loud to each other. And we all listened to 1989 more times than is strictly permitted.

Much to be thankful for, and I am.

a few things this fall