Erik’s grandparents flew in from Indiana and his dad came down from Frasier to celebrate. I am sharing a photo of Finnie, perched in the back seat as we arrived at DIA, she was so excited to meet her grandparents. Friday, May 22^nd was Erik’s Baccalaureate, which was an emotional moment for all of us. Along with his grandparents and my neighbors, we prayed for Erik to continue to look to God for guidance through his life, remembered Erik’s achievements in the last few years and remembered my father and the role he had in Erik’s life. Graduation was a bit more comical as the kids were allowed to have a little fun as they patiently waited to be handed their diplomas. For a Christian school; it was comical to see the girl walk across stage with toilet paper on her shoe or hear the kazoo and fart machine go off ~ all by the girls~ which is funny in itself.

Father’s day Erik totaled his truck. Thankfully no one was hurt. We are now in the process of ‘car hunting’ again, not something I wish to go through, after the first experience but hey, gotta have some comical relief, right?

Planning a trip in August through Utah to visit Arches, Zion and possibly Bryce National Parks and up into Wyoming for a visit to Yellowstone. I am thrilled to finally be able to get to both states as it’s been a plan since I moved here. Especially ~ Wyoming. Look for some photos in early September if all goes as planned.

Hope all is well in your lives ~ Smiles, Hugs and Blessings

My beautiful little boy is now an ‘adult’! He is, without doubt, my greatest joy in life. It truly feels as if these eighteen years have flown by, but the happiness he has brought to my life all these years is priceless.

As I was leaving work; one of my managers asked me if Erik was my son. I replied, ‘He sure is!’ ‘He is my favorite’ she said. I smiled and said ‘He’s MY favorite too’. She continued by telling me how respectful, kind and handsome he is. Makes my day (I told her) to hear it! (even though I will admit ~ I already know it) <grin> I am proud to have a friendship with him ~ all the while ~ guiding him. Hey, sometimes he gets on my nerves but that is only because he is so much like me ~ strong minded and independent. Can not fault him when I taught him – right?

I received a promotion, not a huge one but it is a step in the direction I plan to go with this company while I make plans to meet my future goals. It is a secret so I won’t share until it is all in the making~ what is not a secret though is it has everything to do with photography. Great to know each step I take in my life, with people, places and ideas, actually do lead to greater things. I may not always know it when it is happening but when I stay focused on the positive aspects of even the toughest moments, I realize it is all part of God’s greater plan for me.

Finnie is growing like a weed! Even though she is, through & through, my son’s dog, she has won my heart with her antics. Watching her play in the snow has been the funniest though, she was actually sliding across the deck Easter Sunday! Gosh, if only dogs could talk I am sure she was saying ‘Weeeeeee this is FUN!’ She is so scared of going down the stairs that when I take her to the bottom two steps, instead of trying to go down them, she bolts back up the 10 others just to get away from them. Silly! Then I have to go back up to get her has she whimpers to come to the den with me. They know how to get ya don’t they? I will confess it has been fun watching her as she explores everything, training her to be obedient, and also training her to do things my son will NEVER know I trained her to do. Kinda a head start on spoiling the grandkids (sly grin) cannot wait for those moments! Oh, the payback is gonna be so grand. {evil laugh}

Smiles, Hugs and Blessings!

I have come to passionately embrace just how alike he and I were. We shared many of the same interests, the simple aspects of life and living life to the fullest with a smile even when it seems to be the toughest. My father lived each day as if there was not enough time and the older I get, the more I realize what he meant. I see my father emerge in my son daily. The same gentle and kind soul, handsome features, genuine love and care for those people in his life he treasures or just a stranger he has met in his day. The lasting influences of my father have been a blessing in both our lives.

As my son approaches his 18^th birthday, his high school graduation and the rest of his life, I remember back to the first time my father held him, the laughter which filled the room when my son made my father laugh as a toddler, the fishing contest created so his ten year old grandson would not ‘get the biggest catch’, teaching him to drive on the tractor or shoot a gun as he had so many years before, with me. Just some of the many memories I have and find bitter-sweet as he will not be here for the additional milestones of my son’s life. But I know he left his mark on my son in such a profound way, my father is, in many ways, still existing in this life.

To my father who gave me 39 years of smiles, laughter and tears; showed me unconditional love and support through all my accomplishments and lest not forget my failures (those are important); gave of himself without expectations; never met a stranger and truth be known, never had an unkind word about anyone, even when it was justified ~ I thank you Dad for sharing your life, laughter and love with us all those years.

Our lives are silent without you, but our hearts are whole for having been blessed with you!

From your love grew ~ loyalty
your hardships ~ strength
your mentoring ~ stability
your friendship ~ guidance
your heart ~kindness

Smiles, Hugs and Blessings

Life in Colorado has not left any day without some aspect of adventure, whether is has been while out shooting photos, meeting new people, or just the everyday ventures of life. However, it is the beauty of this state which continues to amaze me. I had actually thought about moving, if ever the time came for my son to venture out of here on his own, not high probability very soon, but of course, it happens. But after finding a few more places to add to my ‘places to photograph’ list, I am thinking, ‘Me? move? Never’ There is just too much to see here which leads me to believe I will die a very old woman here.

My friend and I took a small hike out to a place called Rainbow Falls, otherwise known as Graffiti Falls, as it is named, it is full of graffiti. Hidden beneath the underpass, a short walk along the creek and worth the hike to view and take in the freshness of the waterfall. If I have not mentioned before, Manitou Springs is my most favorite place to go, living there would be a stretch as the houses comparable to my own are nearly double the price. The shops alone take me there time and again with the richness of colors and the quaint feeling the town exudes. After doing a few searches to find a new place to photograph, it was the first place I wanted to find, if only to capture a waterfall for the first time. Overcast the first day, neither one of us realized we had to walk the distance to see the waterfall and stood which seemed like forever, wondering where it was. Not a good day for photos anyway, as I was awake only on adrenaline after a full night of work, we shrugged and decided to come back after figuring out where the entrance was. Trekking through the water in my hikin’ boots the next afternoon, I got as close as I thought my camera would allow without becoming water-logged. Although... I have been looking for a new camera, hmmm, maybe next time. The lighting still was not the best, but the sound of the water flowing over the rocks and the mist hitting my face was refreshing. Think I will make another trip back in the summer when the trees are in full bloom and the sun glistens off the water. Until then, there are a few other places with waterfalls, hidden here in the canyons. So I am off to find them and the faith to do them justice in my photographs.

Smiles, Hugs and Blessings

Losing our three pets over the past year has brought sadness to my household. I always said they were all my ‘children’ - couldn’t leave the house without making sure they were taken care of; routine doc visits to ensure health; constant patter of feet behind you so they ‘don’t miss a moment of you’ and always the happiest to see you, even if it was just a tail wag or meow to let you know ‘I am happy to see you’.

It’s been a year almost to the day in which the ‘death of pets’ year began. My son arrived home on his lunch break last weekend with a ‘surprise’ for me (later told ‘She is MINE’) a little fur ball Blue Heeler. As the memory of my dog, Biscuit came to mind; I cried ‘I am not ready for another dog’. That thought quickly exited as this little bundle of fur laid on my belly and with a little tilt of her head at me as if to say ‘Can I keep you?’, a lick of my face and off to sleep she fell. Oh cheese and rice, I can’t have another dog! This was Saturday - on Sunday morning, at 3 a.m. I lay with my cat, ‘Kitty’ of 16 years, for the last time, as I comforted her into ‘pet heaven’. The sound of those little puppy paws on the hard wood floors, licks at my feet, gnawing of my socks, the whimper of ‘where did you go’, wasn’t sounding so bad anymore. The arrival of a new friend eased the passing of the silenced ‘meow’ I heard for 16 years.

So in memory of my beloved furry friends; we welcome our new friend, Finian Siana (see-anna) (Gaelic: Little Fair One, God is Gracious) “Finnie” for short. Yes! I named her – as was the condition on which she stayed. Ha!

Who could NOT fall in love with her!  Smiles, Hugs and Blessings

WOW a new year is upon us and coming up on two years in Colorado. Still loving God’s beauty however, working has taken up a lot of my time. Erik will graduate in May. I am wondering where all the years went: seems like yesterday he was born, now- soon to be 18 and going into college.He is my greatest joy though, handsome, kind and comical! 

Have some plans in the works for photography and getting back into the field again. Took a hiatus to do a few other things I needed to work on, but the itch is still there. Putting my thoughts together with a couple of photographer friends to make these plans reality. Out with the old and in with the new I say.

Hope all is well in your world and the New Year brings new hopes, dreams and blessings.

Smiles, Hugs and Blessings!

"I wish people who have trouble communicating would just shut up."  ~ Tom Lehrer

 I had to post this, just too funny.

Smiles, Hugs and Blessings

Having carefully read the definition of each word before choosing my strengths and weaknesses; right down to the meaning of bashful, which is actually a weakness: Shrinks from getting attention, resulting from self-consciousness. I completed the test, tallied up my score and was surprise to learn a whole lot of strengths! Wait a minute….you mean, all those traits people attempted to change about me my ENTIRE life are actually strengths? Reading further I found; it is not the strength which was a conflict, it was the people of different temperament who did not share or understand the strength. Hmmm, you might ask. Understand them? For example; not everyone is scheduled, deep, thoughtful, talented, self-sacrificing, etc. but to those who do not share or understand those strengths, to them, those that exhibit them, ‘are not doing it right’. In actuality, we are all doing it right….doing it the way we know best for us, the way we were built, programmed, created, etc.

Yes, I am always looking for ways to understand myself or be a better person. I do not care who knows it, it is who I am and I am OK with who I am. This book threw me a loop though, being able to pin point my personality to a T and recite my strengths as if the book was written for me.

While I still believe the foundation of who we are is first and foremost based on God’s creation of our soul, childhood environment and life’s lessons are also two important foundations on which we develop. I find this ‘personality test’ so amazingly accurate of who I am; I had to share the book. I also found the scripture she references throughout the book to be quite accurate. While I am not too keen on the ‘label’ placed on my temperament, I am looking beyond it to the positive strengths I possess.

So...Now I say with Pride 'I am a Perfect Melancholy Personality' What temperament are you?

Smiles, Hugs and Blessings