Melissa, Kristin, Michele and I all smiles a few moments before midnight.

01-01-10 began with the sound of laughter from my living room.  I had two great girl friends stay with me and we woke up that morning feeling refreshed, happy and thankful.  We celebrated the new year with a few bagels from Einsteins and then they were on their way back in Gainesville.  I have adored those girls for 12 or 13 years…  It’s magical to me to still have them in my life and to spend the second year in a row bringing in the new year with them.

Next stop on this first day of 10′ was to see one of my favorites.  I threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt and make the 15 minute drive to a house that I know very well.  It’s the place where I met and fell in love with so many friends, a place where I have slept on sofas, where I have celebrated birthdays and the place where Austin lives(d).  I walked in and that boy was sitting at the computer… just where I had seen him sit 100 times before.  I immediately had flash backs and Remember When moments because Austin no longer lives at that house.  He now calls Maryland home and eventually home will be Afghanistan for him.  He jumped up, I ran over and I think we hugged for about 6 minutes.  I have seen him a few times since he left, but not in his house…. not in the company of some of the original circle of friends.  It made me miss those early days when I first moved to Atlanta.  I love the fact that I spent the first day of the new year with a guy that had such an amazing impact on the previous year.

Austin, back at "home".

To see Austin back in the house was that much more special because in a few more weeks those guys are moving out.  I feel like its honestly an end of an era…  I know that sounds dramatic, but its true.  So, after we said our goodbyes to Austin I went along for the ride as two of the guys went house hunting.  We spent the next three hours driving around Atlanta in search of a new home for them.  I laughed till my stomach hurt as we contemplated their new address.  We walked through and around a huge spectrum of homes…  Ones that had holes in roofs, others were million dollar estates.  If laughter is the best medicine, I surly will be able to make it through 2010 with amazing health.

As the afternoon winded down, an offer to venture down to see a Hawks game was put on the table.  The three of us that spent the day house hunting as well as four others found ourselves sitting at a great basketball game a few hours later.  You couldn’t help but get swept up in the crowds energy as the teams went back and forth, eventually going into overtime to dual it out.  It was a great way to spend a Friday night.  I love this city!!

The night came to a close with a few rounds of Rock Band (back at my favorite house).  This is also a tradition that always makes me smile.  Nothing quite like seeing adults play a video game…  I love it.

Here’s to 2010.  May it be half as fun as 01-01 was…

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The parties were many.

The pumpkins were carved by the dozen.

The cemetery tour was extra creepy.

The fortune-teller was eye-opening.

The corn maze was aMAZEing.

The hay ride reminded me that life outside of the city still exists.

The s’mores were amazing.

The calendar was full!!

Here is what the last few weeks looked like….

Nothing says Halloween like carving pumpkins!

Our trip through the cemetery. It was a rainy night, but that didnt stop us from having a great time!!

Super Women meets Strawberry Shortcake!

Austin flew back into town just for the party! I miss that boy!

What an amazing looking Small Group! Love these girls!!

We picked out our costumes over a month ago!

Me and Carlton. I mean, Jeremiah!

Love those red sunglasses Wil!!

Yes, we are dressed up like cows. Yes, we are jumping on a giant pillow. Yes, it was fun!

Brittany and Eric getting lost in the Corn Maze!

Our great pumpkins!

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This past weekend I found myself leaving the city and heading north.  Fall is upon us and some friends and I wanted to experience some good old fashioned Fall fun.  Our destination: the North Georgia Mountains.  Three of us drove the hour and a half up to where the leaves were a little more orange, the temperatures were a little bit chillier and the roads were a little smaller.  We left the noise and commotion of the city behind and entered into a world that personified Fall in Georgia… a world that I had called home a few years ago.

I spent five years of my life in the town of Dahlonega, GA.  That chapter of my live involved going to college, moving away from my parents, starting new relationships and testing my limits.  It was an amazing bit of time that I would go back and relive in a heartbeat.  I loved that town.  I loved the potential and the endless opportunities that I had during that age.  I loved the comfort of the small town.

As we were driving down the familiar roads and parking on a campus that I once called home the memories came flooding back.  I am now a different person, reentering into a place that is exactly the same.  Yet, the feel of it was the similar, but so very different at the same time.  I was now an outsider looking in.  I am now the tourist.

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have changed.”

That quote is amazingly true.  If anything, the visit to Dahlonega confirmed to me how much I had changed.  Since I left that town five years ago lots has happened… life has happened.  I have been married and divorced, I have bought and sold a home, I have moved back and forth across the country, I have lost ones that I love, and I have found new friends.

I have changed.

This Saturday started as a day of remembering, but quickly the old memories turned into new ones as the three of us laughed the afternoon away.  We enjoyed the people watching, sharing old stories and enjoyed each others company.  It was truly a marvelous fall day with some amazing friends.  Thank you Shannon and Kevin for allowing me to share the day with you and for joining me on my walk down memory lane.

Happy Fall!

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It only takes a minute to say hello.  To meet someone new is relatively easy.  We extend our hand, make eye contact, utter a formal greeting and it’s done.  Whether this person will become a simple acquaintance or a lifelong friend takes a longer time period to establish, but the simple act of saying hello is easy.

Saying goodbye on the other hand can be so much more difficult.

Several of the people that I said “hello, nice to meet you” to only a few months ago are now leaving.  The Fall is upon us, and with the change of season people are parting ways.  New jobs, going back to school, mission trips or just a desire for a change of scenery are taking my friends to new places.  Across the state, across the country, and across the globe they go… to start new lives and say some new “hellos”.  We were privileged to have the time with each other.  We have the memories.  We have the lessons learned.  I am truly happy for them.  I am so very proud of their bravery to face the new endeavors.  Bottom line, I have come to the realization that they had an impact on me, and that life is going to be a little bit different without them.

As these goodbyes approach, I become very aware of the things that I want to say to them as I wish them farewell. I feel the burden of time as the departure dates loom. Isn’t that typical?  We can sit down and talk to someone for a long time and finally, at the end of the conversation, we finally say what we have been meaning to say.  We take for granted the time we have… the time we had.

Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what is going to happen next.  Changes can be scary.  Its easy to feel uncomfortable when life’s normal patterns begin to look a little different.  But, in the end, everything will work its way out in the way God intended.  My friends will move on to chase their dreams, and we will adapt to the changes that occur in their absence.

Lionel-Moving to Maryland for a new job.

Austin- One of my forever favorites...He is now in Baltimore, one step closer to taking a tour in Afghanistan.

David-Starting medical school. Oh so proud of him!!

Chris-Truly an example of having faith in God's plan... he is off to Africa for a few months.

Carl-Off to Memphis for a new job.

Yusuke-The first to leave us....He is now living and working in Seattle.

I will miss these guys so much!!  I wish you all the best of luck in your new adventures.  You all have truly touched my heart, and I can’t wait until our paths cross again!!!

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The fantastic(ness) started last Thursday with my weekly Mexican food dinner and Grey’s Anatomy viewing party. The four of us girls had a marvelous time with our strawberry margaritas and thoroughly enjoyed the much anticipated “Crossover Event” that ABC has really

Friday evening I met up with my BFF Kristy for a (fantastic) dinner at PF Changs. She was than off to see a movie with some girl friends, I was off to… you guessed it… Atlanta.

I had plans to meet up with my normal partners in crime to hear a live band play some good ol’ 80s music. For the next several hours our eardrums where blasted out to “Jesse’s Girl”, “Burning Down the House” and “Love Shack”. Other than not being able to hear for the rest of the weekend, much fun was had! And, there may have been a certain boy in the crowd… that may have asked me to join him for a movie the following afternoon…. (insert giggle here).

Saturday morning my dad and I went on a little bit of a mission. We wanted to see if you would be able to survive on an abandoned island… actually we just wanted to rescue a half sunk canoe that had floated into our cove. For the next hour the two of us walked out to the abandoned canoe, attempted to flip in over and than search the cove for a make-shift shovel to dig it out of the sand. (Please keep in mind that the lake temperature is about 45 degrees…. and… I had flip flops on.) Long story short, the canoe is now tied securely to the dock. My step-moms reaction when the two of us showed up at the house covered in mud… “What do we need a canoe for?”. My thoughts exactly.

But enough about the canoe story… I had a date to get ready for. =)

Our plan was to catch a 3:30 movie. But, as the afternoon approached, we decided the 70 degree weather was way to nice to spend cooped up in a dark theater. What happened next was something that will go down in the record books. My date for the afternoon told me he had a motorcycle… and he asked if I cared to join him for a ride. As I was picking up my jaw off the floor I suppose I nodded my head and willingly
jumped on the back of his bike. This doctors daughter who for the last 26 years has sworn to never even look at a motorcycle spent the next several hours cruising through the tree lined streets of suburban Atlanta. And I am here to tell you… it was fantastic!

After a stop at Starbucks and a fantastic hour of sitting outside chatting we jumped back on the bike and headed home. I’m fairly certain that neither one of us was quite ready to end the “date” so we grabbed some dinner and met some of his friends for a birthday party/game night. And even after all of that we decided to watch a movie before finally calling it a day. I made my way to my favorite red couch at LeAnns apartment for the night and fell asleep with a giant smile on my face.

Sunday I had an appointment with a new friend for a haircut which I must say is phenomenal! She is amazing! And therefore, now is my hair! Ms. Erica even did my makeup to top off the new look. Nothing like a new look to make you feel like a million bucks. When I was done being pampered, I had about three hours to kill before the 6 o’clock church service. So… off I was to a local park to throw a Frisbee with my new friend. (Insert giggle here… again.)

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Last night I found myself surrounded by some very fun folks, and a little wiener dog named Fo’ Shizzle. Mix in some free food and you’ve got yourself a little par-tay!

It got serious….

And there is the poor dog. He didn’t stand a chance.

Taking a little break…

The girls of course were the winners…. naturally.

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First stop… Saying hello to 2009 (in quite the style I might add). My partner in crime for the evening was a best friend from high school. We found ourselves down in the ATL for a new years eve bash like no other. Complete with a live band and a cash balloon drop…We danced till we could dance no more! Such a fun night!!! This is me thanking Kristin for allowing me to share her friends for the evening.

I woke up New Years day and hit the road. I was on a mission to see a very long lost wonderful friend. Two hours later I arrived in south Georgia. I’m fairly certain that our hug at the door was way too far overdue! Donna and I graduated from college together. We share an athletic training degree and a friendship that honestly can’t be described with words. The last few years have left us in different states and with different marital statuses, but somehow being with her is timeless and transcends all of the differences in where we happen to be right now. For us to be building so many new memories on top of the old is a recipe for a very good time.

We spent three days lounging in our pajamas, eating rice crispy treats, playing a few mean games of Wii bowling and of course lovin’ on her precious little girl. I sat in awe of how easily my college friend has taken on the duty of motherhood. What a joy it was to spend time with her, her sweet hubby (not pictured-He didnt seem to enjoy the picture fest as much as the girls did.) and of course baby Madison!!

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My brother and I Christmas morning. Excuse the bed hair.

We sent my dad on a scavenger hunt around the house as part of one of his gifts… hee hee.

I was then off to my moms house.
We took a break from the festivities for a family photo.
Please note the 65 degree background. =)

More gifts…

We decided to try our luck at baking some Christmas cookies.
The aprons say it all…

Up to our elbows in flour and cookie dough.

My (very creative) sister decided to frost one of her gingerbread men as President Obama.
We laughed… hard.

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