Rejuvenate

Rejuvenate:
a : to make young or youthful again b: give new vigor to c: to restore to an original or new state

Yesterday, I was able to spend 24 hours with a couple of dear friends and rejuvenate my spirit. This "Bucket Full Of Fun"...sweetly prepared by one friend's daughter-in-law... was packed with delicious food, a fun game, cards, fingernail polish of course! and lots of love. I am thankful that for 24 hours I was able to laugh, cry, talk and dream of a brighter tommorrow. "Rejuvenation" is a good follow-up to "melancholy".

Melancholy

Melancholy...depression of spirits, dejection, a pensive mood

Melancholy is the word that comes to mind as I consider this little girl sitting in a bone-dry bird bath. She holds a shell as if waiting to hear something...she's been waiting for a very long time. Whenever I go to the lakehouse I think, "something needs to be done about her." Then I walk on by.
Last weekend I stopped. I sat down on the grass and took her picture. I let myself feel the melancholy emotions she evokes in me. I knew the "shell" had a message for me but I didn't hear it until just now. I heard, "Don't keep walking by your emotions, Susan. Stop and think about them. Name them. Do the hard work of listening to and healing your spirit."
I will. I am.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."
Chinese Proverb

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference.

Three cuties...Nicole, Cali and Nathan..."chillin" on a warm summer day.

Barista!

Ana in her Starbucks apron, looking pretty as a peach! I am impressed with Starbucks; the training they provide is thorough, the company values are admirable, the salary/benefits are above average and the product is excellent. I think Ana's found a part-time job that she will really enjoy.

Me and "Lennox", the workhorse of summer.

Simple Pleasures...

...walking barefoot in the soft, green grass of summer.

PeekABoo!

Growing Up

Nathan has been taking Drivers Ed every day for the past 3 weeks. The classroom portion is over and now it's time to get behind the wheel. WOOHOO!

OK, I could tell you this photo of the Harry Potter movie poster was INTENTIONALLY blurry but the fact is, I intended to get a clear shot to entice you to go see "Order of the Phoenix". The best laid plans are sometimes superceded by better laid plans and I think this blurry shot is an example of that phenomenon. If you are a Harry Potter fan, you will be thrilled with this movie. Ana, Nicole, Christy and I think it's almost as good as the first one and that is saying a lot!

Dressed up...

Monkey Grass!

For Melanie

I spent a couple of hours with my sister-in-law today. We talked and cried and talked and cried and even laughed a little bit. Years ago, she cross-stitched the following verse for me and it's a perfect reflection of our relationship...

"We've shared so much laughter and so many tears,
Our spiritual kinship grows stronger each year,
We're not sisters by birth, but we knew from the start,
God put us together to be sisters by heart!"

Dawn

"An angel, robed in spotless white,
Bent down and kissed the sleeping Night.
Night woke to blush; the sprite was gone.
Men saw the blush and called it Dawn."
Anon

Our life's journey is full of twists and turns, valleys and mountaintops, and the occassional desolate place that we would just as soon pass by. Today I had to stop in one of those desolate places. Tommorrow I will set out for the mountains.

I Spy...

several little butterflies. Do you?

These two doves spent some time on our walkway today. I watched them from the window and thought about what peaceful creatures they are. The dove is a universal symbol of peace and innocence. Perhaps they are a sign for me and my precious family. Perhaps peace is coming up the walkway and will soon be at our door. May it be so.

For my friend, Susan(aka Red)...

You gave me seeds from your garden. I planted and tended them with love. Today the first fantastic flower made it's debut. Thank you!

HAPPY JULY 4th!

RED!
WHITE!
BLUE!

Wanna take a guess as to what they are?