I love Austin. It is my happy place. No matter where I travel in the world, I would choose Austin over it all. There is a comfort here that I have never had anywhere else I’ve lived. From the moment I step on UT’s campus over a decade ago, I knew that Austin is my home.

I love Austin, but…

I miss fall weather. Not gonna lie. After all, fall is my favorite time of year – the leaves changing, the crisp air, the apple pies, the reprieve from summer.

Austin doesn’t have fall.  Austin has summer and not summer. There are no seasons, no changing leaves, no crisp fall air. There is simply summer and not summer. I’ve admitted before that I haven’t always enjoyed summer (though I have a newfound love for it). Summer to me has usually just been the months you endure before fall.

But as the paradigm shift in me has begun – the shift of loving summer more – I’ve found myself missing fall but being willing to redefine fall. I still secretly want our family to spend our fall days in the Adirondacks {hint, hint Jonathan}, but I’m enjoying fall looking like 70* days and sleeping with our windows open until January. I’m redefining fall as lingering summer days that give my kids more time outside. Cooler {but not cold} mornings for my outdoor runs. And having outdoor BBQ’s in December.

Fall in Austin will never been like fall in Iowa. But I love Austin enough to embrace my sweet city’s version of fall. Though I wouldn’t mind a trip to upstate New York come October.