The September Post

It's September, so that means a few different things to me.  It's my birthday month, harvest is starting, and I have been a slacker about posting on here.

We celebrated my birthday last night with my family.  It was a wonderful time around the table, getting caught up on what everyone has been doing and enjoying my sister and sister-in-law's wonderful cooking.

I was able to get out to the field and take some pictures of the harvest and spent some time with the kids working at the potato harvest and enjoy some home made donuts during their break.  So many of my best memories growing up are from this time of year - when we all worked together out in the field. All kinds of inside jokes that are really only funny with my sister, brother and I.  Good times - no, Great Times.

My nephew was home from college this weekend, and B and I brought him back to school today.  What a wonderful treat, to spend 2 hours in a vehicle with him.  Getting to hear about his first few weeks away from home, his hopes and dreams for the future, what he is learning.  What can I say, but that I just love that kid.

B helped my brother-in-law do some roofing work before the winter sets in.  Hard work, but a job that needed to be done, so we were happy to be able to help out.

Oh, and Dad won most of the cribbage games.  Memories were made this weekend, that's for sure!

You Can't Be Everywhere

This is one of B's non-work weekends.  We have enjoyed each other's company, gone out to eat, done a little shopping, went to church this morning, visited with our family this afternoon and celebrated one of our cousin's 16th birthday.  It's been a wonderful weekend.

This weekend, my family up north celebrated the baptism of my niece and nephew.  And thankfully, with today's social media, I have been able to see photos of this blessed event.   Even though I would love to have been there to see it in person, it is not possible for me to be everywhere.  Thankfully, I think my family know how much I love them and support them in all ways.

No matter where we live, or what we do, we are never going to be able to attend every event.  It's just not physically possible.  We have tremendous families and friends on both ends of this state, that we love so much.   So we do our best to get to as much as we can and still carve out time for ourselves. 

It's a balancing act and so far, I think we have done a pretty good job at it!

My Night in the Airport

Last night we tried to fly home from Virginia Beach.  We had spent a long weekend with my BFF from high school and her husband and family.  Her oldest son got married and we had a ton of fun.  Then we headed home.  All fun was left at the entrance to the airport!

Our flight out of Norfolk was delayed, meaning we would probably miss our connection in Baltimore to Portland.  But we remained hopeful.  We shouldn't have.  We finally got on the plane in Norfolk, an hour and a half late, and then sat on the tarmac for 10 minutes due to weather at our destination.

When we finally landed in Baltimore, we had missed our plane to Portland by 10 minutes (it was delayed due to mechanical).  I had a very unhappy husband.  Very.  We ended up staying at the airport overnight.  He slept.  I kept one eye open and watched the crazy cleaning people race their vacuums and enjoy each other's company. 

This morning we thought we were golden, an 8:45 flight home.  Then they changed our gate 4 times and when we finally were getting loaded onto the plane, our boarding passes didn't work, so we had to get out of line and go get new ones!! 

When we finally got home, I showered and worked a half day.  I have had about 90 minutes of sleep in the past 36 hours.  I'm ready for bed that's for sure!

I've learned I'd rather not spend the night in the airport...ever again!! 

Three months

My last post was 3 months ago!  It doesn't seem like it was that long ago, but a sweet little birdie told me she missed me today, so I thought I'd check how long it had been.  It's been awhile.

What a busy 3 months!  We had our annual long weekend in North Conway the first of May.  We shopped and hung out in the outside hot tub and just enjoyed each other's company.  In June, our nephew graduated from high school.  We were blessed to be able to be there for his class night and see him receive some great scholarships and then watch him lead his classmates into graduation.  We also celebrated his graduation a couple of week's later with a fun backyard party.

We had the Cirque du Soleil in June and celebrated our 10th anniversary!!!  It seems like just yesterday that we were walking down the aisle.  Hard to believe I found someone that would put up with me for a week, let alone 10 years!!

July has been a flurry of camping trips with his family over the 4th of July and this weekend with good friends.  We also enjoyed a pageant, bonfires, camp and family fun with my family and this week we are heading to Virginia to celebrate the wedding of my BFF's son.  One thing I can say, is that life hasn't been and probably won't be boring!

I love my life and our family and friends.  They are the reason I get up in the morning and keep on going all day long. 

I will do my best to keep this blog updated a bit better!  Thanks for hanging with me!!

Sisters

This weekend my sweet sister and her kids visited.  We talked and ate and went to the movies and watched movies and ate some more.  B loves my sister and loves having her here.  She occupies me and that allows him to watch his Red Sox uninterrupted.  It's a win/win for him and me!

My 14 year old niece is somewhat fascinated by the "sister" bond.  She has a brother, and we heard several times this weekend about how much she wanted a sister.  That isn't going to happen, but it gave me food for thought on the sister bond. 

We tried on clothes and ate candy and chips and discussed how much we need to NOT eat candy and chips and get our butts moving.   We don't mind sharing a bathroom, we did it all our growing up lives.  We have weird sayings that only the two of us get, and we can sit for hours not talking, but just being content that the other is in the same room.   We can be brutally honest with each other and it's ok.  I love having her around and am so blessed that she shares her children with me.  

B recognized this bond early on in our relationship and knows that it is something special.  I am not sure if all sisters have it, but I am so glad that we do.  

Company is Coming!

I got a wonderful phone call from my sister this afternoon.  She and her two kiddos are headed our way at the end of the week for a few days. Her husband has to work on Saturday so he won't be able to come down.   It's spring break at school and they picked our house to visit!  Yes!  She hasn't been here since November and that's just way too long.

She wants to sleep in every day, no problem!  Friday I have to work and B will just be coming home from his night shift, so it will be nice and quiet.  She is planning to visit her BFF from college and see her new baby.  New being the relative word, since I think he was born last fall!

Her other request is to have a low key weekend.  Um ok, but try not to be too tough on us!  If it rains we will go to the movies, of it doesn't we might play a little mini golf.  No matter what the weather, we will all hang out and enjoy each other's company.  B and my sister get along great.  Sometimes I think they get along better than he and I do!

I'm excited for the visit and the quality time with my sissy and the kids.  And a quiet weekend of them destroying the house sounds fabulous!

I had no idea

This morning I attended a memorial service for a work friend's husband. He was a quiet, unassuming man and I hadn't really known him that well.  A hello in the hallway at the office, a little chat about the weather.  And then my friend asked me to help proof his obituary and I discovered that this was no ordinary man.  He had been in the service, worked in education at some of the highest levels, and then ended his career as a director of a nonprofit agency.  He had been a police officer and a bartender.  He loved his family, fishing, and to help people.  He had served in the boards of numerous nonprofit agencies and even at the state and federal level.   At this mornings service, which was a breakfast - his favorite meal and he wanted everyone to be able to enjoy the rest of their day, hence a morning memorial - he was honored by those who spoke as a calm, caring and thoughtful person.  Someone who put the needs of others above himself.  Someone who listened, thought about it, and then spoke.

I wish I had done more than just said hi in the hallway.  I wish I had taken the time to know him better.  I'm glad that I can be here to help my friend through this time, and I'm hoping I can learn more about her husband as we talk.  

This has been a huge reminder to me that we should never judge a book by its cover.  I thought he was a nice man, but truth be told, he was a great man.

I am hoping to take this morning's lessons to heart.  Take the time to get to know those around you and do something for somebody every day.  Thank you, Gil for those lessons!