alright, remembering i am backtracking here, this is now Dec. today is my best friend's birthday. after so many years of celebrating birthdays it is challenging to come up with an original gift. so my gift to her was the jingle bell marathon. our usual warm southern weather failed us on this day. it was a chilly thirty something, which didn't matter, as the race started we were quickly warmed. as the bells jingled and jangled, the sound, reminding me of the joyous Christmas season. we were entertained by the racers costumes, even their dogs were all decked out. we were moved by all the families and the support for such a cause. seeing strollers being pushed, daddy's lifting tired children to their shoulders, was endearing. as we made our way downtown, throughout the buildings, toward the capitol, blues skies above, how different our small city felt, from its usual day. our conversation flowed, as we continued with each step to the finish line. i was proud to spend this morning with my friend, as we did, celebrating her special day.

jingle all the way

this had already started as good day. my early morning workout had it's usual effectiveness, our day preparing for school, nice, drop off even better. i decided to make one of my spontaneous climbs. imagine my surprise to pull up to this camp. as i walked around taking my pictures, i could hear the morning campers waking up. the smell of their coffee and bacon appealing to my already hungry stomach. it was a nice beginning to my morning hike up the mountain. i felt more than my usual connection with nature, and our existence on this earth. the peak more pleasurable, the air more crisp and my breath purposeful.

days gone by

this chilly fall day, i am happy to be here at this moment for my son. our neighbor invited him to his birthday party. this is a moment, simply because, he doesn't get invited to many parties. unlike my daughter who, we would decline parties, she couldn't figure out how to be two places at once. so for wyatt, this was nice, however for me, it brings me sadness. i am grateful for these moments, for him, but selfishly i grieve for a life i wish for him.

that fall feeling...

on this Thanksgiving day, as usual i am filled to brim with gratitude for God's love, his grace and mercy, my family, but mostly for my mother and her love. she comes to my house every year for his holiday. it is the one time that i actually wake up, even though it is my home, i always have to remind myself of time. the aroma of my house takes me away to my childhood, the sounds of her "working" in the kitchen. my husband and i always smile, we don't even have to say it after all these years. what i am saying is... when my mom is up everyone is up... she will bang, drop, exclaim out loud when she drops something. there is no quiet, even in her footsteps as she moves from room to room, still amazed by this, for such a small women. i am not only grateful for her labor of love, but the new memories that feel old and for her constant.

giving thanks..

as Thanksgiving draws closer, it is a time for much reflection. i like to think i am often reflective and thankful. however this year, i have never been as grateful as i am this year of my friendships. the lack of productiveness in my life at this time is false. i know i am not physically seeing the "fruits of my labor", but i am feeling it. my friendship with my best friend of twenty plus years, has grown. it has grown beyond the realms of my expectations. we have learned to trust each other on a new level that as been truly rewarding. our years of laughter, memories made through the phases of mother-hood, special occasions, sadness, and disappointments didn't prepare me for the true raw feelings of this stage of our friendship.
so on this Thanksgiving Eve, i give thanks...my heart is filled with the warm of another level of friendship.....

warmth of our friendship

my husband, my friend of all this time, still does this to me...
he is always around a corner, a tree, any obstacle that enables him to jump
out at me. he must get great satisfaction in knowing each time, he can surprise
me, get a squeal of fright, laughter, and at the very least least a smile. this being
the one he captured with "my" camera.

always around the corner..

naming the reasons why i love this night..
i have a pretty good idea of the hours of preparation for this event. having worked and chaired committee's, myself, i know how dedicated our friend, Amber has been to this project.
Holiday House being has long been awaited by myself and friends. as we prepare for the evening, i am amazed how memories can flood back to my youth. getting ready together, with Amanda, our make-up scattered on the vanity, my hair up in rollers, the lyrics of Tiny Dancer filling the room. when closing my eyes, the memories so vivid, i could have just as easily been preparing for one of my high school dances. why as women, in our haste to grow up, busyness of our lives don't we allow ourselves this time.
the event, brings so many of us together for a great cause, that many will benefit.
all deck out for the season, vendors set up to succeed, the band rocking it out, food and drink a- plenty, women, all of us coming together for the night.as we shopped, talked, danced and laughed the night away, i felt joyful of my moment with these ladies.
for me, the last year i have had such a strong reconnection to my girlfriends. the images capure just a glimpse of our personalities, our joy and our bond.....

there are so many reasons why i love this

where to begin..

alright, this being my now, i guess i will just dive right in.
unsure where to begin, i decided to start with my last birthday...
so i am back-tracking ever so slightly..
this day as always was made so special by my family!
i had recently heard of the Elk herd that was introduced on the Buffalo River, ever so excited to check it out, it had been decided, this was how we would spend "my day".
we awoke early as it was a two to three hour drive, those that know us best, know we, the mason family struggle with early..
the plan was my mother would meet us, we had packed a lunch, we were off!! only three and half hours later, we did, of course, get lost, i being to eager turned onto the "wrong" hwy 16. we amazingly, met my mother at the junction where the two highways meet in Boxley Valley. there at that moment in the exact spot were vehicle's pulled over to side, people rushing with camera's to capture the exquisite Elk! our timing perfect! we relished in the beauty around us, the grumbling of our stomach's reminding us of lunch. we ate, complete with birthday cake and wishes made to come true. our afternoon hike alongside the rambling creek up to the waterfalls was complete with the comfortable silence one shares with loved ones. the laughter and delight of the afternoon left only for the forest and my heart.
our drive home as tired as we all were, could only be described as contentment. a day to celebrate life, not just mine, but for all of us......