Fall 08, thus far

Apple Picking with Friends, Amy, Carolina, and Vicky at

Tougas Farms in Northborough, MA

Happy Birthday James! With Taylor and Jack

Melia, enjoying ice cream and cake at James' birthday party. She is definitely a Midgley!

Ahh. Me and My dad!

House of Cards

I walked out of work on Friday, and found this:

http://greenfield-studio.com/artwork/471511.html

I saw some people out in a boat at lunch putting it together, but didnt really know what they are doing. I love that my work is in this up-and-coming part of Boston. It is an old factory district, that is now an arts district. There are always the most random displays. I wish I could find it online, but there were these plastic bubbles with plastic people. All of the cracks in the sidewalks have old pottery cemented inside.

Courage with Age

So. Another birthday has found me. And Im still not liking this getting older thing. After about 21, I become very found of not having birthdays. Oh wait! They come no matter what I do! Never really liked having parties after about 12. Sept Birthdays are a hard one. Its the beginning of a new school year and lots of new faces. Especially since I have moved to Boston, it seems like all the friends move over the summer, and, therefore, the friend count to celebrate with is less than I would like. And this year seems like it was the worst. Dont get me wrong, my special day was great. Spent it with my family and with a long and dearest friend. But no party with the local friends. Many have left this summer and Im very excited for their new adventures. . . .

Something hit me this time around. I cant be passive about life. Life is to be experienced, and not just lived. I have made a few efforts in that. Not that Im really up to sharing all those stories at the moment. But I do have a few quotes that have been mulling over in my head:

Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit. ~ Baltasar Gracian

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.

It's the life in your years." ~Abraham Lincoln

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments,

but what is woven into the lives of others." ~Pericles

Faith

I had a weekend on the random side. I wasnt looking forward to a particular lunch I had plannned with an old friend. We were to talk about religion, and I knew that it wasnt going to be a calm, open, friendly discussion. I should have just cancelled, but didnt.

It was the least unjoyable hour and a half that I have spent in a long, long time. I love my religion with all heart. There isnt anything that anyone can say that will deter me from it. I know that I dont have all the answers when it comes down to specifics. But I think that that has been the reason why I have never whined in my testimony. Im very simple in the idea that I do not have to know all the answers to know where and how I feel peace and happiness in my life.

In the end, lunch was good. Simply because it got me reading into topics and areas that I havent lately. It caused my testimony to grow more. So for that, Thanks Friend.

But I cant say that I will purposely seek out situations that I discuss religion with a Baptist again though!

Seriously

Is it seriously September?!

I cant believe it.

On the Road Again

My work travel has begun again. Im currently in Naperville, IL. Its going to be a crazy fall. Ill be all over this country, including cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Minnesota, Milwaukee, DC, Phillie, Atlanta, Miami, . . .I could keep going. But then it again, it could all change tomorrow!

Today has been a day for me to realize my blessings. . . . Life is good. Although there are times that I have to deal with crazy situations or irrational people, I have a job and the oppurtunity to be productive each day. Im grateful.

Childrens Museum

Taylor loves the Children Museum in Boston. They rennovated it, but Taylor nor Jack have been able to come out to it yet. So this was the summer. The boys were old enough to have a real slumber party, and day at the museum.



It was a fabulous day, and it was worth all the driving! Ill be putting up pictures soon.