a lil' swell never hurt anyone

We wrapped up our first full week of school and with warm weather still in the mix my body was in dire need of a little paddle time in the Atlantic. It will probably take another week to adjust to waking before the sun has made its presence known and the fact that staying up to watch that captivating movie until late in the evening is just no longer a reality. So with the body tranistioning back to 'school time,' there was critical need for the Xterra to trek down Route 72.

The past few storms have stirred up some solid size swells with the tendency to close out at a rate that you say a little prayer before dropping down the face of any wave of choice. I'm not sure what it is about my wiring, but sitting under a warm sun and just wading in the water on my board just does something to me. I find myself at a level of peace, chill & closeness to God that I have yet to feel elsewhere. Part of me feels ageless and part of something much bigger than myself. I guess now I'm talking crazy surfer, but it is what it is. My hope is to be paddling out to the line up when the hair is gray, the bones are a little achey and my bathing suit is officially bedazzled.

May I never sit still and wait for life to come to me, but I hope to always go towards living life for all it's worth.

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A little Deja vu

The past weekend was a blur where I spent most of it trying to let my vocals heal a bit along with taking the needed time to let my body rest after feeling a bit lethargic lately. As we transition into a new school year there is truly so much 'newness' in more ways than can be counted. I realize that I would be bored if life were predictable, stagnant and therefore lacking any real sense of color.

Friday Keith & I headed to watch Taylor cheer her very first highschool football game. As I stood on the sidelines it was a definite sense of deja vu meet 'hello, I'm a parent' zone. Fourteen years ago I ran, sweat and played in the heat and cold on these same fields. I now walk the hallways everyday with colleagues who were once fellow classmates and a handful that were even my teachers:) I now clap for Jordan and Taylor who have the same adventure ahead of them; it's pretty neat to be witness the the unveiling of the road that stretches before us.

I caught myself laughing at one point as I stood on the sidelines. If you were to have asked me as a senior in high school where life would lead I could bet you a million bucks that I wouldn't have said anything remotely close to where I'm at. But God's perfect timing brought me back to Jersey to a whole bounty of beauty, richness and purpose that I wouldn't change for the world.

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Farm fresh like I dig it

With the last official weekend of the summer fading in the distance I hopped in the car & made my way to Faith Farm. Just a few weeks ago Keith & I were married and now cattle graze and grass is growing where it all happened. Sort of crazy when you think about it.

Weekends always fly by, but it was nice having the weekend in Va before rolling into a new school year. Farm life is greatly unpredictable, never easy & pretty dirty. There is something within me that enjoys getting my hands dirty, breaking a sweat and gaining an insight into a world that so few have the opportunity to see. We're in such a rushed society where we focus on the immediate and very often gravitate towards quantity over quality. From the chickens laying eggs, the pastures growing the season's supply of hay and pears hanging heavy from limbs it all takes time. With time, patience and hard work it seems the end product and substance is higher and more pure. That might seem a little on the old school side, but my doses on Faith Farm reaffirms this truth.

Later this afternoon we all broke a sweat and achieved target heart rate picking pears from a tree near the house. Gabe was well equipped with a pear in each hand and a big grin on his face. Moments such as these are precious and even with a few rough encounters with branches, it was great fun.

Heading back to Jersey tomorrow and ready to rock and roll with a new school year and a few other 'new' aspects of life that just make it all the sweeter : )

** This last shot is of Tristan in his FIRST parade as a kindergartener!!! Gabe, was a spectator and pretty proud of his big bro!**

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