Blessed By New England

It's been quite awhile since I have done any writing here, and for some reason, just felt like I had nothing of importance to say yet - maybe I still don't, but I'm going to write anyway.  You can choose now, to continue reading this, or "x" out of it.  I won't be offended.  Haha!!!

It's hard to believe that summer is over, and Fall is upon us already!  Where does the time go??  I think I missed summer, or at least it passed way too fast!  It was nice to have time with family this summer, my siblings, their spouses, and my nieces, Sasha and Gracie, and nephew Malcolm all made trips out here over the course of the summer, and it was nice to get Auntie Manda cuddle time with them all. 

September... my favorite month!  Not just because it is my birthday month, but also because, for the past 3 years now, I have gone to New England for a week.  I guess you could say it's like my birthday present to myself every year. Why New England of all places??  For some reason, it's like going home for me. It's familiar, comfortable, relaxing!  This year was different, a good different!  You know how sometimes you just need to spend time with, and be blessed by other people, and other surroundings, and you don't even know it?  That's what I needed, and that's what I got!

From walking by the ocean with my dear friend, listening to the ocean crashing on the rocks,

Seeing the boats in the harbor,

Rye, New Hampshire

Seeing a butterfly enjoying the flowers,

 Watching a bunny enjoying an afternoon snack,

Enjoying a stroll through Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Tugboats in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

A walk in the woods (one of my favorite things to do!)

Seeing friends that I haven't seen in awhile, catching up, and being blessed by them!  Enjoying times of laughter, and sharing life with each other over lunch, or a walk, or just chilling out together.

Myself and dear friend Kait Stratton

Those are some of the things that make trips like that so worth it! I could never put it all into words, all that I did, and the conversations that encouraged me, the laughter, etc.  Every year though, it makes it hard to leave all that behind, and come back home, leaving that part of "home" behind.  I read a quote the other day, that pretty much sums up my times in New England... and it said this - "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying good-bye so hard!"