This is My Forties

Hello again blogosphere!   Over the past month I have been evolving.  I've always believed that people come in and out of our lives at whatever time they're "supposed to" to teach us or help us.  Whether you learn or recognize the lesson is up to you.  This has happened throughout my entire life.  I can name a million lessons I've learned over the years from a once-stranger popping into my life at just the right time.  In fact, everyone I know falls under this category.  Sometimes these people stick around, sometimes they fade back into the background, but they're always an important part of my life.  Being able to see the connections we all have to each other has me in constant awe.  Everywhere we have been we've been fortunate to find amazing friends.  How?  Why?  Honestly I think it's because we're open to it and we welcome it in... we allow it to happen.  Before I start sounding too hippie and lose you all, allow me...

Since we moved back to the States our home has been a virtual revolving door, welcoming visitors from all over.  We've had more visits this month than we had the entire 3 years we were in Spain!  It's been fabulous.  What a great way to be welcomed back.  I know I overuse awesome sometimes, but what other word describes "full of awe" better?... awful?  I think not!  HA! Rudy and Kevin were both visiting on their own and we saw them a few times for various dinners or lunches (including a trip to Medieval Times) before and after we picked the kids up from Ohio.  Jessica and the kids were here for a couple days at the end of July before they went back to Kansas. We hung out with Brandon & Bekah at the beach and had a little game night as well.   Kevin came back, but with his wife Erin this time!  Yay!! ;)  They are both photogs so we did a little night shooting, which is always a great time.  Most of their vi...

The morning of the sixth we were up early, raring to get some breakfast and head over to the office to sign the final closing paperwork.  Our appointment was at ten.  There was a little tension in the room with the divorcees there together, but everything was done quickly enough and they remained civil.  Our realtor had a minor panic attack when our bank didn't transfer the money over right away, but a phone call expedited the process.  Last time we bought a house Josh's credit was so awful they said it was best to list him as a non-contributing spouse.  This time it was all him and I was the one not on any paperwork really... yay for no job! haha.  We had to rush right out of the room because it happened to be the last day we had reserved the rental.  Josh tried to extend it online or on the phone, but because we'd already had it for a full month, it was something that apparently had to be done in person.  Off to Dulles we went.  As luck wou...

Pittsburgh is a short putt from where my parents live.  We arrived at lunchtime.  First we had to deliver a painting for my Mom.  One of the customers at Cannon Coffee noticed my Mom's work on the walls and commissioned her to paint a portrait of his late wife.  He was really fun to talk to, retired enlisted Navy, just had gotten back from a Navy reunion and was showing us tons of photos and news articles about it.  It was awesome.  He loved the portrait so much he asked her to paint another one, her wedding photo. We had lunch with Ben at the Crested Duck Charcuterie ... so stinkin' delicious.  I contemplated submitting this place for some food network show, but it's not a diner nor drive-in and certainly not a dive... so I'm at a loss.  The chef/owner is a self taught meat genius.  The duck lomo was perfect, just the right amount of "I miss Spain" with enough originality, lots of outstanding flavor.  Nate was kind enough to hang ou...