Modifying Me in the Summer of 2011

Reflections. Rethinking. Revitalizing. Regeneration. Renewal. Rejoice.

All our lives we have to do things to move forward whether we want to or not. Little ones are insistent on going further every day in whatever mode they have mastered while trying to become experts at the next mode. When we reflect on our lives it is often a good thing. Reflecting on the accomplishments of this summer has been a nice trip, even if it is a short one. What I have realized is that so many things stay the same but the details, the adjectives of life, the accoutrement's of being are what makes life fun and rewarding.

My short rundown of the last few months includes my absolute five star rating of reading on a Kindle. I never ever thought I would enjoy it as much as I do. My week at the shore renewed my love of the sea, the sand, the sunset and the sensational people who have become closer to me in the past few years than in all the other years combined. It gave me a memorable piece of art to live with that reminds me of so much. It also reinforced the reality that time is moving on faster and faster as we get older and older.

On the home front it was a time of small changes and big emotions. The reality that our country is still suffering is evident every time I look at my checkbook. The move of one son to a new place was an unexpected step, and as his stress level changes it, of course, effects mine. It is a mom thing. The other son is moving to a new beat, too. This one is surprising and encouraging and brings hope for him and his future. While Mike and I get set to celebrate 35 years of marriage on the 11Th we will have to temper our happiness to share the ten years of sadness since the attacks on the USA and the memorializing that will mark that day. Our minds will be much more on those that lost precious members of their families and we are OK with that.

Extended family events are the drama of the summer. Horrific storms and devastation are still the focus in upstate NY. The cleanup is going to be weeks longer than first thought but the community is pulling together once again. With some luck my sister will have built a following who will vote for her in the general election after seeing her volunteer hundreds of hours to help in and around her small town. The transplant team at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital performed another miracle and extended the life of my cousin. How do you say thank you for that? His donor is my heroine and I am proud to know her. Our angels above were smiling down on us for sure that day. Without a doubt Facebook was the means of communication once again that let us all follow the happenings in almost real time. Thank you social networking.

From beach time, camping, reading, photographing, Google +-ing, gardening, costuming a show, sharing a journey or two, I think, no, I know, it has been a summer to remember. And now we will have a brand new person to add to our list when my littlest cousin joins the world in March! Just in time to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Nick and Lauren! and start the memories of the summer of 2012. Whew! I think I have added plenty of adjectives this summer.