endings and beginnings.....

" every end is a beginning"

this is bryan's last official day at work

he will go in today

do a little file maintenance

and then meet with his golf buddies

as he has for many years now on monday evenings....

and sail into retirement.

so proud of you babe....

and looking forward to the many new adventures that lie ahead.

wow. amazing.

good for the soul

mattie stepenek

i was at jessamyn's yesterday

and she has a few of the books this wonderful gifted young boy wrote.

they truly are

good for the soul

if you ever need encouragement

read some of his words....

his philosophy on life:

"remember to play after every storm"

on being thankful

dear God,

i was going to thank You tonight

for a beautiful sunrise,

that was pink behind the fog down the hill,

and for a wonderful rainbow,

that i ran under pointing to

all my favorite colors,

and for such a great sunset,

that sparkled orange across the water.

i was going to thank You tonight

for all of these special gifts,

except that none of them happened.

but do You know what?

i still love You God,

and i have lots of other things

that i can thank You for tonight,

even if You didn't give those

special gifts to me today.

It's okay God,

because i'll look for them again,

when my tomorrow comes.

amen.

mattie stepenek "journey through heartsongs" november 1995

he passed away june 22, 2004

bad bug!

this guys going around in our family.....

hope he's on his way somewhere else!!!!

wordless wednesday

new beginnings

i feel change all around.

new beginnings in all kinds of ventures and with so many.

*there is a reminder that fall (yes fall) is coming with the word september.

*bryan is soon starting on a new journey ....one end starts a new beginning.

*asher is proficient in all his letter sounds......new curiosity there....and is writing little "letters" for us

*brody is trying out how pre-school feels......a growing of trust...and amazes me every day with his "knowing"

*journey is on her way discovering shapes, colors and letters and can carry on an amazing conversation

*wyatt is in swimming classes....also growing of trust and talking up a storm

*milo is on the move......crawling.standing up.new foods.each day new discoveries

*cassie starts a new year teaching today

*there is a wedding in october....a new beginning as husband and wife for cassie and kyle

*britt and cory are expecting a new little life in february

i just feel this swirl of activity

this wind of change

and i hope i celebrate it

appreciate it

bask in it

admire it

compliment it

and embrace it.....

fully.

and in turn

allow it to bring forth new beginnings in me.

oh my!

well....

it should have been done in the spring...

don't know what was going on then, but i'm sure something was!!!!

so...it is summer cleaning.

painting, washing windows, moving the fridge and stove, simplifying....

and i feel like i was run over by a truck today....

how out of shape am i?

jillian michaels has nothing on this routine!!!!!

wordless wednesday!

home again!

we're back!

a great week spent making wedding plans, meeting more of kyle's family

and bryan saying goodbye to a work place near and dear to him...and even a little tiny bit of harley riding....not enough....but a start! :-)

and when we got back.....

wonderful surprises in the mail!

thank you joni for the delicious apricot and peach jam

and to you, patti, for the beautiful card.

wonderful!

road trip

we are heading out to new mexico for a few days.

bryan to do some work at the plant there

and me.......

hoping with cassie's help....to get rid of a few of these post its for the wedding!!!!!!

maybe even see a bit of this country...

i'll check on you all when we get back!