Today

My Grandma Anne joined her adoring husband, Granpa John.
It is sad to have Grandma gone, but I am thankful she is not struggling in her earthly body anymore. I know Granpa was waiting for her with a huge smile on his face. It makes me so happy to know they are together again.
I left work a little early & headed up north to check on my little sister, as this is the first grandmother she has lost (& it's so difficult to lose the mother of your mother). We headed out into the bright afternoon & took a walk in the grass with Tillie.

It's such an affirmation of life to see the next generation (especially when the next generation carries the name of the lost loved one, Tillie Anne). With the loss of many elders recently, Boo & I have had many discussions over these losses & our responses to them. One reoccurring reaction we both have is a surge in the desire to have our own children. Perhaps a response for the continuation of our family, of the species, of life, as one generation passes, we both feel a increased desire to introduce the next generation. It was comforting to watch Tillie, the next Hagopian/Hearn/Maier generation, run & laugh in the sunshine.
I need my remaining three grandparents to be with us for a while longer--I'm not quite ready to provide the next generation.

Lately

I'm going to make some changes--starting tomorrow. :)
With the realization of certain things, especially how crazy work is going to get in the coming months, some priorities need to be shuffled.
--less time on the computer when I am home. Lately, after spending most of the day working on a computer, I come home & automatically turn it on again. Sometimes it's work, sometimes not, sometimes a combination. But this is time I could be on a bike ride, visiting friends or family, reading, making dinner,spending time with Levi, just simply being out enjoying the summer & not tied to this laptop.
--more care in what I eat. Lately, I've slacked off a ton in this area & go for what's most convenient & not necessarily healthy. I haven't been making enough time to visit the farmer's markets to really enjoy the amazing produce that's available. It's important to me that I support local growers & not buy my produce at Safeway & I haven't made this enough of a priority lately. With Levi & I waiting to switch to a house till next year, I hope to then commit time to growing some of our own food.
--my mind, my heart, my time. Lately, not enough of these three things have been committed to the people & activities I love the most. For whatever reasons, I am the type of person that lets myself get caught up in the aspects of life that seem to need me (or that I think I need), when the truth is that none of these things truly need me, & instead I find I have neglected those that I need most--my family, my dear friends, time for bike rides & hikes, for reading & creative endeavors, for supporting causes I believe in.
All of this becomes that much more complicated when combined with my job & the fact that it crosses over many of these categories. Heifer International is one of the causes I believe in very strongly & my work for them supports the important work they do around the world. Therefore, there are times that my job will get the best of me, to the neglect of other areas in my life. I am quickly learning that this is the joy & hardship of working for something you believe in--which also happens to be a non-profit with limited staff, stretching the time & ability of those of us lucky enough to do this work. So, as I muddle through & seek to rearrange my priorities & become more efficient with my time (vital!), I ask for patience from those closest to me. The coming months are going to be crazy--a test of patience & abilities for me. And I'm going to need patience & support from you. I have chosen this as my life's work & while I will not allow it to become my life, there are times it will require a great deal from me.

Anybody have any tips for time management & efficiency?

Here's what has been happening lately that I love:
Mountain biking the top of Galbraith Mt. in Bellingham.









Being silly with people I love.








My beautiful Momma & Auntie Beth at a fun bridal shower for my cousin.









Taking Tillie on her first bike ride (in a trailer).












My silly niece in the pool.









Rafting with my co-workers.








A weekend with Levi--spending time with his family, meeting old friends at his reunion, riding our bikes together, catching a movie.









Good thing I said I'd start these changes tomorrow, cause now it's 10:30pm & I've spent much of the evening on the computer. Sweet dreams & priorities to all!

Measure of America

I'm very excited to get a copy of this--the first report to measure an industrialized nation on human development. Read more here.

And we're doing fine over here. :) We head off this afternoon to spend the weekend in Spokane--Levi's 10 year reunion is tonight.
Enjoy your weekend!

For Aaron

As promised, the link to our photos on the new camera (not all were taken by the digital SLR, but the majority).

G-paw

Last weekend was a memorial of sorts for my Grandpa Bruce who passed away in November.
After returning home, the thought of blogging about the weekend seemed daunting & overwhelming to me. I'm sure part of it was because there are so many photos to choose from, but more significantly because I had jumbled up feelings of frustration & loss & did not want to tackle that here on this virtual journal.
Those feelings seem to have settled into a deep missing of my G-paw & the acceptance that some aspects of last weekend can never be explained in words.
My G-paw was very involved in the Portland Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden for many years & it was here that we gathered family & friends, dedicated a tree in his honor, & told stories about his life & passions.
After a humid afternoon filled with constant heat & occasional thunder, it started to rain as my sister & I walked the last pathway together out of the park. The drops were soon falling fast & heavy & we both welcomed the cooling wetness, laughing with tears in our eyes because we knew it was G-paw.

"When you come to the end of a good Scout's day
And you sit in the campfire's light
And the peaks are lit in the sun's last ray
O'er the shade of the coming night
And you think what the end of a good Scout's day
Can mean to us comrades true.
When the bugle blows and the flag comes down
And the stars shine in fields of blue,
Well this is the end of a good Scout day."