September

First day at the beach

At Two Lights, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

One of the beautiful sunrises in Maine

Kristen and Charlie early in the week

Me on my 54th birthday in Washington D.C.

Maine again only Gusta and Zach were still here

Nubble Lighthouse, Cape Neddick, ME.  Lots of young people with surfboards in wet suits were there on this day.

Pemaquid Point, ME

The above pictures from Mike and Kierston's wedding in Rochester, NY

Our view from our balcony at the Madera  Hotel in D.C.

St. Matthew the Apostle Church, where President John F. Kennedy was waked

The Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, ME

I sit here at the computer posting on this blog with my clothes really dirty from gardening.  The gardens are winding down now, I planted some Irises and a couple of Stella D'Oro daylilies.  I also cut back some things that needed trimming like the Black Eyed Susans and hostas.
So much has happened in the interim between this post and the last....the whole summer and then some....we had an incredible family vacation in Maine, after almost 10 years away.  Steve and I looked at each other and said; "Why did it take so long to come back?" and Steve said "I feel like I just came home" when we got to the beach the first day.  What an incredible gift is was to be there!  The whole summer unfolded with many gifts, especially in the month of August, we traveled to Pittsburg, Washington DC, and finally to Maine. We have had visits from our very special children, and great, happy times with old friends.  We have made new friends and and celebrated weddings with family and our family in Lockport.  For the first time ever I left the gathering with our friends at Lockport just feeling loved, no saddness about not still being there. It feels like maybe I have turned a corner there.  

There are many ways that it feels like I am turning a corner on a new chapter in life.  I have awakened to the feeling of just being so happy and grateful to be alive more times than I can count lately, and I have a feeling of being open and unguarded about the future.  I have my old sense of humor back and I feel like laughing again.  I have a positive feeling about nothing in particular even when I am at home by myself.  I also have a feeling of being loved again, by the Universe, or God, or whatever you want to call it.  A sense that God is always with me, has always been with me, and will always be with me through everything forever.