Happy First Wedding Anniversary

Tal and I went to Chicago for the weekend to celebrate our first wedding anniversary!  It was a really nice trip, and a perfect to get away.  We left the house painting, Christmas shopping and end of the year work hustle behind and to be just us together.

We saw a play, Finding Neverland, enjoyed fancy meals, went to the Art Institute of Chicago and perused the Christkindlmarket.  We also went to see a late showing of Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them.  It was a fun weekend.  :)  Tal and I ended the weekend at home eating a replication of the top tier of our wedding cake, which was a surprise for Tal, and we opened gifts where we each gave the other something to do with paper.  It was not planned, but I thought it was sweet that we were thinking along the same lines.

Below are some photos from our wedding day!

Photo Credit: Kristen Nicole

End of Summer

It was a day to steal away some fun before the last of summer got away.  After all of the unpacking, tending to some house projects and hosting visitors in our new home over the last few months, last Sunday was a lazy day for us.  T~ and I went to Kings Island.

The summer afternoon was made to explore the park, which was my first time visiting.  Sunshine, bluest of blue skies and puffy white clouds greeted us as we crossed the gate.  Hand in hand we meandered through the park.  We road a couple of the coasters, took in views from the tower and shared a funnel cake.  Then before heading out, we ended our visit on the tall swing ride as the sun was starting to set.  It was beautiful.  My heart felt full and my soul at peace.

T~ and I stopped at a friend's house on the way home and visited for a bit.  As we left for the evening, it was the first of the cool nights to lick at our heels as we hopped into the car.

It was good sleeping weather.  A heavy sleep under the weight of the blankets long forgotten from the summer's heat was woken by the cool of the next day's morning.

Home Sweet Home

We bought a house!  We are so very excited!  It is just the right house for us.  It has charm, it is a bit quirky and it is just the right size.  Can't wait to make this our home!

Honeymoon in Hocking Hills

Since we both started new jobs, we did not have a lot of PTO saved up.  However, we went for a long weekend to Hocking Hills and stayed in a cabin.  We hope to plan a longer trip later this year or around our one year anniversary.  But, this weekend was perfect and so glad we took the time to get away as newlyweds!

The mild winter weather was surprisingly lovely.  When booking the cabin, I imagined snow.  But, the weather was perfect for snuggling and venturing outside for hiking.  It was a weekend for romance, good food, time at the spa, a couple of hikes and pursuing the craft stores and antique shops.  It was a quiet time for us away from the world.  It was absolutely cozy, relaxing and lovey!

Date Night

Sometimes a song takes you back to a moment.  I want remember this night with T~.  We went to go see Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish on Tuesday night.  It was part of his Christmas present and I'm happy I could make him happy and share in it with him.

He Asked Me to Marry Him...

And I said yes!!!

I am over the moon happy.  :)  My heart feels so full and I am just bursting and I can hardly put it into words.  I love T~ so very much and I am so happy he loves me so.  We both cried and his proposal was loving and thoughtful and special.

I am so excited for the next steps in our lives together, to share in a life together!  I feel so blessed!

We're going to be getting married!!!

Seashells and Sunshine

Sometimes things seem so perfectly timed, but were unplanned to begin with.  I love when spontaneity makes life feel magical and alive.

Last weekend, a college friend of mine invited T~ and I to join her, her husband and their child at the beach.  They were staying at her dad's beach house for a couple of weeks on a private island along the Gulf of Mexico.  Within a few hours we made the plans and the next day T~ and I drove out to the coast.

It was a lovely weekend and exactly what I needed at just the right time--time with an old friend, a weekend away from home, time at the beach, sharing my friends with T~ and spending time in good company.  It was just the right amount of time spent with good people, nature and taking it easy with no real plans.  I felt relaxed, rejuvenated and free--things I haven't felt in a long time.  And I loved sharing my friends with T~.

One thing that I enjoyed about the weekend was just being lovey with T~.  We had an opportunity or two to go walking on the beach just the two of us.  We had some meaningful conversations.  I shared with T~ that I am tired of waiting to live my life and that I don't want to put things on hold until the rest of life catches up to be just so.  We talked about us and our future and hoped next steps while collecting shells and walking along the surf.  I felt beautiful, content and happy.

A Light Sketch

My mind is playfully dancing around the conversation T~ and I had just before bed last night.  It just kind of floated out there, all innocent like.  My heart is happy and I am in wonder in how simple and natural and easy the conversation started and flowed.  I'm not even really sure exactly when it started, it just happened and was.

T~ and I talked about moving in together.

We have talked in broad terms about our feelings and thoughts about marriage, children and things that bring us fulfillment.  We have talked about wanting to find a partner and share a life with someone special.

This conversation was a dreaming kind of chat or a light sketch about us.  No big or hard details, just feeling it out.  But, the words were said that he wants to share a home with me and I want to share a home with him.  It is all still early, but it was a real conversation with him.

And there is also something important that I've noticed about being with T~ in the last month or so.  I feel calm and confident about our relationship.  There isn't so much worry in trying to guess what he is thinking.  I just ask him and he says it.  There is a mutual transparency in our relationship.  Part of this has been me learning to be more bold and part of it is him.  And the times that we have spent apart, like being out of town visiting family, I have missed him, but I have felt at ease.  In my past relationships I may have felt twisted up, stressed and scared.  However, with T~, I feel secure-- secure in myself, in him and us when we are together and apart from one another.  Again, it is from my own growing, but it is also him.  I feel blessed to be with T~.

Mountian Lions, Tigers and Bears

Well, maybe not Tigers, unless you count that T~ is from Michigan near Detroit and kind of follows them with baseball.

Sometimes there are moments that are intimate and to be shared between two people and those two people alone.  Other times there are moments of clarity that point to something more important, something validating and too fantastic not to share.  And I do not want to forget this moment.

When I went to visit California in June, I asked T~ if he would like to join me.  He was excited about the opportunity to adventure with me to the west coast to northern California.  It was a fantastic trip with visiting family and friends, enjoying the peace of the pristine wilderness and getting to visit the Redwoods.

One evening, I wanted to go and look at the stars away from the campground along the lake.  It would really be a great place to see the vast sky without the noise of light or tops of trees.  My aunts warned it was not the best idea to venture away from the campground at night at this time of year because there were not enough campers with their noise to chase away the bear and mountain lions.  But, it was just too tempting not to try to take a little stroll.

As T~ and I were walking and talking along the road down to the marina, we heard a rustling sound in the dark brush along the side of the path.  We both stopped, looked at each other and confirmed that we both heard the same noise.  I cannot remember who suggested that we should leave, but we were in agreement and quickly pivoted in the other direction.  It was a blur, gut reaction kind of moment where we grabbed each other and ran like mad together.

My first thoughts were run, run, run...fast, fast, fast. 

Then I thought, oh, hope this is not the way I am going to die.  I do not want to be that person who was warned not to go into the woods at night with the woodland animals with their sharp teeth and sharp claws.  I just wanted to look at the stars!

Then as we were still clinging to each other and clumsily running, my heart wanted to melt and I fell in love with T~ all over again.  In a moment of perceived danger, his first instinct was to grab me and run, and mine was to grab him and run.  It was selfless and wonderful and I couldn't help but smile, even if there was the possibility that it would be the end.

At that point T~ and I started to slow and broke the space between us as we continued to jog while holding hands.  We looked back down the road and when we didn't see anything, we slowed again to a fast walk as we approached the campground.  We laughed and hugged and were glad that we made it back safely.

I told T~ I was so touched by his actions and how he handled the situation.  I didn't feel silly for being afraid that it could have been something more lurking the dark.  I commented that if it had been a bear, it probably would have been faster.  And if it had been a mountain lion, we probably would not have even heard it coming.  He joked that he was afraid that since I am a more experienced runner that if he had not held onto me that I would have out paced him and he would have been eaten by the wild animal.  But in seriousness, he wanted me to be safe, for us to be safe.  It meant a lot to me.

In a Sleepy Stupor...

I remember noticing T~ coming back to bed.  As I resettled myself and he joined me in bed, the words just rolled out...

I love you.

Still feeling in a fog of being half awake and half asleep, I felt a moment of surprise with the realization of what I had just said.  There was a prolonged pause and he responded with a confused, "Okay?"  My fuzzy brain was not working with my lips and I mumbled something, but do not recall it being anything really understandable.  Was I talking in my sleep again?

No.  I felt it within me.  It just slipped out.  But, it seemed so natural and effortless.  Too tired to put anymore thought into it, I allowed the heaviness of slumber to creep back over me.

The next morning, I heard T~ stirring in his living room.  I tumbled out of bed and joined him by his chair and computer.  Still feeling the need for a morning stretch in the cozy warmth of bed, I returned to the bedroom and flopped into the covers and he followed.  However, he was much more awake than me.

We snuggled up together as I recalled bits of a bizarre dream I had the night before.  Something about wandering around the streets in a city and trying to find my way while following along a lady and a strange animal.  It had the pointed face of a porcupine, but the body of a very skinny, slinky monkey-kind-of-cat creature.  If it was supposed to be a pet or ferel, I am not sure.  It weaved in and out, but at times you could hold its tail like a cane or a leash before it would then try to slip away again.  T~ softly laughed as I wondered aloud if it was a remnant of the Comic Con from last weekend and that his girlfriend must be a little bit of a weirdo.  He said that seemed about right and I would have to be a little weird to be with him.

Then, I waited to see if he would bring it up while still trying to sort out my thoughts.  My heart ached at the possibility that maybe he heard me, but did not feel the same in return.  When he did not mention it, I then lead into something else that seemed a little strange from the previous night.  I asked if he slept alright, and he mentioned having some tossing and turning.  I said that at one point I noticed him coming back to bed and I may have said something. 

T~'s face lit up with a knowing smile.  He said he wondered if he heard me correctly.  He wasn't sure how to acknowledge it, so he asked, "Okay?"  He said I repeated the words, but wondered if I was talking in my sleep or if I really knew what I had said.  T~ stated it was okay that I said it...then with an added pause..if it was true.  His words seemed laced with a vulnerability.

I told him that I have been thinking it for a while, but it just kind of came out last night.  He smiled with his eyes and said that he has been thinking it for a while, as well.  With a shared breath of relief and happiness, we hugged.

Then he looked at me and said in response to what I had said last night...

I love you, too.

Tiny Invitation

Today I had dinner at my cousins' house.  S~ and S~ have a nine-month-old daughter who is as cute as a button.  However, H~ takes a lot of time to warm up to people, so I have not had the opportunity to hold her.  Poor kid has had to deal with reflux, milk allergies and colic.  Not an easy start to life.  But, she is doing much better. 

To my pleasant surprise, H~ smiled at me when I first came into the living room.  She is at the creeping stage and was holding onto my cousin's hands and walking round the house.  S~ said H~ is constantly moving and much happier when she can move freely out and about. 

After dinner, we went outside to the front yard and mingled with the neighbors, which seemed like a fairly common routine.  People gathered, set up chairs and chatted as several kids weaved in and out of the driveways on their bikes.  H~ was alternating between a push toy and walking around with S~ and S~.

As I was sitting on the ground in the driveway, H~ came walking over to me holding S~'s hand.  Then, she reached out her tiny hand to me and I took it.  Standing up, I joined S~ as H~ lead us around the driveway in wobbly zigzags.  After a few passes around the driveway circling the group sitting in chairs, she meandered to the push toy again with her mom.  I rejoined the group of adults and listened to the conversation.

After a short time, H~ returned to where I was sitting.  This time she held both hands out to me with a smile as she caught her breath in the breeze.  I picked her up and lifted her up a few times.  It was the first time I really got to hold her.  She seemed ready to go, so I took both of her hands to go for another walk.  She was picking up the pace and then held on with just one hand.  It was a mix of the warm sun, just before dipping down for a more pronounced sunset, and cool, gusty air.  As we paced the walk, my curls bounced in the breeze and H~'s wisps floated under the weight of her clip.  Faster and faster she went as she transitioned back to one hand on the push toy and the other in my hand, especially on the incline down the drive.  Little by little she wanted to do more on her own and I could sense her increasing bravery.  She then held the handle with two hands, and I quickly followed behind her keeping my hands hovering near her waist.  Smiles and giggles as she cruised to her mom.

It was a sweet moment and a welcomed gift.  It was brief, but felt like it was filling an infinite space within that moment.  Reminding me of kite flying with Little Bear in her grandmother's garden, I became aware of being present and taking in the joy.

How I have often wondered what it would be like or if I would have the opportunity to hold a tiny, trusting hand of one who is exploring her developing mobile freedoms and expanding the parameters of the world around her.  When I dreamed of motherhood, that was the kind of thing I imagined.

I Heart Nerds

I have a tendency to date nerds.  I find myself attracted to men with nerd qualities or guys with a little bit of nerd folded somewhere in there.  I can't help it.  Of course, there is quite the variety of nerd out there, so it really isn't all that difficult to stumble into one.

When I moved to Orlando, I originally wrote this guy off for several reasons.  One, he shares a name with a previous man in my past.  Two, I work with him at the hospital, but not very directly.  And three, he is a Detroit Red Wings fan.

That being said, my guard was down.  As we got to talking here and there, I started to notice we had some shared interests.  He is funny, kind and passionate about his work.  He is the kind of person who goes the extra mile to help others and is a peacemaker type.  He carries with him a certain confidence in his work and grounding in himself.

As we saw each other at some social gatherings for work, conversation was just flowing and natural.  I often find myself smiling when I am with him or as I walk away.  A couple of months ago he asked me out on a date.  We have been taking it slowly and keeping it professional at work.  I think we have found a good balance to allow for a certain amount of privacy to allow things to develop and see where they may go.

He is a self-proclaimed king of the nerds.  He is a veracious reader, has done some theater, bakes, plays video games, hikes, does a little writing and plays board games.  Can't wait to check out the Harry Potter stuff at Universal with him!  He was a manager of a comic book store for about five or six years after being a chemist for a couple of years.  In his words, he wanted more than a job.  He loved his job at the comic book store, and said it was a lot of fun.  But, he wanted a career and after some self-reflection, decided to go to nursing school.  He says it was the best thing for him, and he is very satisfied in his work as a nurse.  He is great at what he does.  He is an interesting combination of nerd, and certainly fulfills my preference for a little something quirky while being smart, funny and emotionally in tune with himself and others. 

Houses as Hobbies

As I am typing this entry, RJ is sleeping on the couch beside me with his arm wrapped around my belly as I sit on the edge of couch. We were looking at houses that are on the market in the neighborhood. Every now and again I peruse the listings to see what is out there to get a feel for cost and trends of those renovating houses. I dream of owning a house. And I also keep an eye out for deals that RJ might find appealing for his own investments in flipping or renting--knowing that my efforts are very amateur.

But today we looked at some of the houses together because we each like looking at houses, kind of like a hobby. I asked him questions about if he thought the houses were priced appropriately. He was patient as I clicked through the pictures and he sometimes asked to see more in the comments section. We talked about the layout and the condition of the houses--what we liked or did not like--what needed upgrading or updating.

And when we were done, RJ told me that he liked that I am interested in buying a house. I asked him why? With a smile, he said he likes that I enjoy doing what he finds himself doing with much of his day. He also said it is good to see me dreaming and wanting something more.

This shared moment with RJ today makes me happy in appreciating what we have in common. It is nice to see those shared interests that support the foundation of our relationship. I love that we both love houses and what is involved in fixing them up. I love that we both enjoy being active and outside with fall as our favorite time of the year. I love that we both love reading and can spend hours in a bookstore. I love that we speak Spanish and appreciate learning about other cultures and world views (However, his Spanish skills are excellent, it inspires me to reinvest in mine.). I love that we enjoy the simple pleasures in life--good company, cooking and playing board games. It all just puts a smile on my face. I've said it before, but I love how RJ knows how to live in the moment of the present and take pleasure in all that it brings.

(Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves...I know this post could have potential for a lot of speculation. It is just one day at a time and I have a lot left on my plate to get my life back in order. We are happy with our relationship and where it is right now--a very good thing.)

Two Tomatoes

When you put two teachers together, they are bound to eventually talk about education and teaching in some form or another. But those conversations are even better when it is when you get to talk about what makes you excited about the field.

I am beginning to work on my thesis project and wanted to borrow a book from my friend. When I picked it up from her house, she asked me about my project and how it relates to the book I was borrowing. She was a great listener and could not agree more about the importance of developing a rich vocabulary with children of the toddler/preschool group to help them have better success in reading comprehension later down the road. Then my friend showed me a booklet that was sent home with her daughter who just started Kindergarden. It was about the school's approach to teaching handwriting that focuses on directionality in a kid friendly way using picture cues for the lines (sky, grass, ground, and worm levels). I asked her if she would mind if I flipped through it, commenting that I knew I was being such a teacher dork. She laughed and said not at all. Got to love those envigorating teacher conversations!

As we were having these conversations hanging on the door knob, her kids bounced into the living room to greet me. Little Bear regailed her story about riding her bike without her training wheels for the first time, complete with twirling kicks and spins (in the story telling, not the bike riding). She was quiet proud, as she should be! I loved how both of her parents beamed with pride, especially because their daughter was fully owning up to her accomplishments and efforts.

Pickle was just looking up at me with all smiles and my friend commented, "Someone is in love." He then told me about his visit with his neighbor that afternoon. She gave both of the kids three tomatoes and said to be sure to share. He held out the smallest of his three and said, "Here, Miss Jamie, I'm going to share it with you." My friend mouthed, "You might want to wash that when you get home, but you don't have to eat it." It was sufficiently covered in that kid-feel-coating from having been carried all around with him that day. Nice and warm with a slight, sticky tackiness on the surface. I smiled and took his gift as it melted my heart.

Then his sister burst into the scene and said that those were her tomatoes. It's funny how kids know that stuff. My friend asked Pickle to give Little Bear her tomatoes and fished out his true three from the bag without missing a beat. Then Pickle gave me another tiny tomato. As I was returning Little Bear's tomato, she told me to keep it because her neighbor did say to share. I thanked them both for their generocity and said good-bye.

I Was Doing It Again...

When someone was asking me about RJ and I had finished, they said, "You always smile when you talk about him!"

Then I must have smiled even more because I didn't even realize I was smiling so. It made my heart sing!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Pittsburgh Half-Marathon 2011

A few weeks ago, I ran in the Pittsburgh Half-Marathon for the second time. My goal was to run the race in under two hours and I am proud to say that I accomplished my goal! I ran the race in 1 hour and 56 minutes at an 8:50 mile pace. This exceeded what I had intended to accomplish in reducing my time by cutting my mile pace by 40 seconds! Two things certainly contributed to this success--a longer, established running base before ramping up the weekly mileage and the hill workouts.

In addition, I think this race was important because this year I ran it by myself. In someways I think it represents how far I have come in rebuilding my life. Last year, I ran it with my friend, Michele, and we were a great team. We supported each other through some tough things and we were each other's cheerleader. As we ran, Michele did a great job navigating between runners to keep our pace, while I kept an eye on the time as we passed each mile marker. This year, Michele was not able to sign up for the race in time. So, I ran solo on the course. I think this was good for me because I could prove to myself that I am very capable of accomplishing my goals independently.

And while I may have been running the race by myself, I was far from alone. I had several other friends who were running in the race and we didn't run together for various reasons--pace, corral assignments, and personal running style. But we sent each other a flurry of texts before the race and it felt like we would all be running together in spirit. It was funny because at one point during the race, I passed my friend, Heidi, who was running a leg in the Relay. It was great to see her and continue in our individual journeys.

Then RJ and his friend also came to cheer me on along the sidewalk next to the course. I was so touched because he postponed a fishing trip just to be sure to see me run. RJ asked me where I thought I might most need an extra boost of support, I gave him the map and told him at Mile 6, just before the West End Bridge. As I was reaching that point in the race, I grew more excited because this year I had someone out there cheering for me! RJ was wildly ringing his cow bell and waving the sign he made for me. His friend snapped a picture as I passed by them. They later told me that they had a ton of people comment on their cow bell playing and would yell all sorts of references to the Will Ferrel SNL skit. It really did raise the energy level. And that is what is great about this race is that there are so many people in the crowd to cheer on the runners. Not only do they support the person they know, but then they extend that enthusiasm to all who run in the race. RJ and his friend then found a spot near the end of the race to give me that last hurrah before sprinting to the finish line. RJ's parents and uncle were there, too, as they came to watch his aunt run in the race.

After the race, I tried to look for RJ and his friend, but there were just so many people. I think we just missed each other, so I headed back to my neighborhood. It was a long walk to my car, but I had so much fun. I loved the crowd support with their cheering, costumes and signs. I loved the music all along the course with a variety of bands. It was great to hear other runners comment on their experiences as we were running. I think this kind of race is great for me because it really brings me into the space of living in the moment--to be aware of what is going on internally and externally and embracing every bit of it.

Once I was back to my neighborhood, I met up with RJ and his friend and we cheered on the Marathon runners along Mile 22. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, it was great to revel in my own accomplishments and to continue to offer support for those still running in the longer race. Yeah, I wore my finisher's medal. What other day can you do that and not look obnoxious? :)

I Can't Help It!

RJ suggested we have a staring contest last night. It was a brief, but silly episode and it had us in a fit of laughter. It felt so good to laugh so hard. I loved every moment of it. And I hope there are more spontaneous, off the wall moments just like that. :)

First of December

This morning over breakfast, RJ sang to me, "Now the first of December was covered with snow, And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston." For those of you who are music buffs, you probably already know the name of the song and who sings it before you even finish reading this sentence. I, unfortunately, am not well versed in music, but am healthfully envious of anyone who is. (Click here for the answer.)

But I can't think of a better way to start a new month and what I feel as the beginning of winter--the first snow. It was a steady fluttering of flakes with a whisper of accumulation. While the sky was a white gray, the reflected morning light from those snowflakes poured a cool warmth through the kitchen windows. I love the morning light when it is snowing. There is a fresh brightness and a hint of something clean and new.

And after coming in from the cold from an early errand, I settled into some reading with a hot cup of apple cider. That is another thing that I love on cold day, is to feel the warmth radiating from a nice, hot cup of something warm and comforting as I hold it in my hands. I love to take it all in--the way it smells with a full breath--and the way it feels tingly hot as the cup comes up to my lips. My usual is tea or hot chocolate, but I just picked up the apple cider the day before thinking that I needed one last fill of fall before the seasons fully change.

I feel as though I am in transition--a start of a new chapter--completely in my new space.

I Had the Courage...

to say those three little words.


And he said them back!


~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*

Reclaiming Summer

It has been HOT! We have had a spell of temperatures in the nineties and I could not be enjoying it more. Call me crazy, but I have been enjoying feeling the heat of the summer. I have not felt more alive in a long time!

To give some insight into my thought process, I should take you back to my summer experiences growing up. When I was a child, I grew up in a town on the west side of Cleveland. It was on Lake Erie, so summers were hot and humid. Granted, it is not as humid as many places in the South where you can feel like you are swimming in the air, but there is a certain amount of humidity that comes with living along one of the Great Lakes. It can easily get into the eighties and nineties in the Cleveland area during the summer. I say this because I've had many people express surprise in this who have not been to the northern part of Ohio.

Any who, I grew up without air conditioning and surprisingly survived with fans! My family did not install air conditioning until after I had finished college and I had moved out. Upon getting married, my ex loved air conditioning and would crank it up during the summer. I also lived in Hotlanta for four years and everywhere I went was blasting with cool air--so much so, that I wore more pants and carried sweatshirts with me everywhere because I would be freezing. It actually made me more uncomfortable going from the extreme heat to extreme, unnaturally cool air inside the buildings. Sorry, but I'd rather deal with one steady temperature instead of the influx and the absurdity of packing layers--in the summer. It just feels wrong to me.

So, this year I have been trying not to turn on my air conditioning in my apartment. I was more motivated in trying to save some money, but as the days passed I realized I liked having the air conditioning off. I love having the windows open and breathing fresh air. I love the feel of a summer breeze and the sounds of the birds in the tree by my balcony. It makes me feel so much more alive and connected to the world. I realize how quiet and isolating closing up your home can be when using the air conditioning. By closing everything up, I miss hearing the soft sounds of life, the smells of flowers or barbecues, and the certainty that what you feel and see are in sync with each other. And as odd as this may sound, I missed feeling the hot summer sweat--not the kind that makes me feel completely uncomfortable and slimy gross--the kind that is lightly sticky, but reminds me of the warmth that it is truly summer.

I haven't experienced summer my way, the way that I had for most of my life in a really long time. And it is completely awesome to be able to to return to living and experiencing summer my way. Swimming in the cool of the pool is that much more satisfying. Watermelon dripping off my chin tastes that much more sweet. And going for a walk on a warm summer night with my man is that much more intoxicating. I love, LOVE summer!