Merging

I am in the process of merging my forthcoming future, to my soon to be past. Saying good-bye for me has always been a process. How do I sum up my relationships with people in a few sentences, people who have donated their time, and energy to me and only made me better. I feel so privileged to have met the varied people, men and women, children, Vermonters who have colored my world, and challenged my thoughts and beliefs. I am hurriedly trying to enjoy these last few days here in the Green Mountains, taking pictures of people at work, writing letters of importance to those who I cherish and love. So I am in the process of merging.....my future with my soon to be past. "I shall be telling this with a sigh. Somewhere ages and ages hence. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I....I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." Robert Frost

Two little men, and some leaves

Thank goodness for snapfish! Last evening, I sat down and put in an order to snapfish.....all from the comfort of home, and now in a few days I will have an 8x10 picture of the above. These fall portraits are becoming a little tradition in the Leavell home, one that hopefully will continue, last years portrait is a few posts back. We had a lot of fun taking these pictures, the kids loved the maple leaves. These old, and tall maple trees were some of the last trees to lose their leaves, providing some last minute fun in the fall. Some generous leaf raker, had previously raked a pile of leaves, and so all we had to was jump in. These canopies of maples provide a backdrop for some great picture taking. In the winter, when the snow falls, the large maple trees provide a maze of sled paths for avid sledders. The leaves are mostly fallen now....but thank goodness for digital cameras and snapfish, fall portraits from the comforts of home.

10 years and counting!

Tens years ago yesterday, in 1997, I sat with 2 childhood friends over an awesome dinner at Mountain Jacks (a fancy, smancy restaraunt in Ohio). We drank champagne, and wine, and talked about college (which wasn't so far removed from our memories). We spoke of the current condition of our lives, engagements, weddings and the life ahead. Then each of us went around and shared what we thought our lives would be like in 10 years. Nothing out of the ordinary, our journeys have come full circle, some of us took longer to get to our 10 year prophesy than others. So fast forward 10 years, and the year is 2007......I have reached the age of my parents, or at least the age when I became aware of how old they were, and boy was it old at the time.....35!!! I have reached the age of my parents, that sublime age, 5 years removed from 40, another milestone age of my parents. My mom encourages my heart, by stating that I am still a babe in the world of age. I feel younger than I am, "Of late I appear to have reached that stage when people who look old, who are only my age. " I had a great day, a day of silent contentment, I have been taking life in quietly as of late, trying to savor these moments of family, safety, and peace. I shared a wonderful dinner with my husband, battered shrimp appetizer, a pina colada, scallops, and creme bullee to top the evening off.
I am 35 now, not too sure what that means, probably nothing too dramatic. If I rewind my memory, the year is 1997, and I am seated next to two childhood friends in a fancy, smancy restaraunt called Mountains Jacks....and I am only 25....