Change

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry.  It'll change.   If you're in a good situation, don't worry. It'll change."  ~John A. Simone, Sr.

This year will be a year of change.

Adam will be graduating from Middlebury College in May.  He's in the process of finding a job for a year before going on to graduate school.

Annie will be graduating from high school in June.  Over the past month, she has been auditioning on saxophone at various music schools.   She will be going away to college in the fall.

Kerry is looking for summer nursing jobs in Vermont - it might be the first summer that she doesn't live at home.

Vance just quit his job at Travelers last week for a position at a smaller insurance company in Hartford.

And after my first year in business, I've been making changes based on all I've learned last year in preparation for a new year of photography.

Change is inevitable.

But no matter how exciting change may be,  it's hard not to feel some degree of sadness for the times you are leaving behind and some degree of apprehension for the uncertainty the future holds.

In the Morning Light

"It was only a sunny smile and little it cost in the giving but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living."

                                     ~Oscar Wilde 

I love to look out my kitchen window in the morning and watch my dogs as they head out to greet the new day!

After sprinting to chase the squirrels away, painting the snow in the yard a brilliant
 yellow, and rolling around in the snow in sheer delight,  they usually end up sitting 
together on the deck.  I couldn't resist joining them this beautiful morning!

The soft morning sun was glistening on the snow on Sami's whiskers.

 While Sami always avoids looking at the camera, Halle is just the opposite!

Maddie always joins them for their morning romp.

Don't let her fool you!  She has no fear whatsoever of the dogs!

 Sami and Halle are watching Maddie, amused as she stalks a cardinal perched on the fence...

 The same one that's been sitting there 24/7 for years.

"When you arise in the morning give thanks for the morning light. Give thanks for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food. And give thanks for the joy of living. And if perchance you see no reason to give thanks, rest assured the fault is yours."

 Unknown quotes  

Annie is Eighteen!

We celebrated Annie's 18th birthday tonight with her friends.  Technically her birthday isn't until tomorrow - Groundhog's Day.  That will be our family time.

But tonight was all about friends.

Allison, Josh, Annie, Anthony, and Megan

"It's just something that happens as you grow up. You realize it's less important to have more friends and more important to have real ones."

I don't know whose quote that is, but it's so true.

Senior year is more that halfway gone already, and there was talk of college acceptances, upcoming auditions, and prospects for the fall.  Having been in school together for so long, supporting each other through the ups and downs of their lives so far, I can already see how they are savoring this time they have together before they go their separate ways after high school.

Eighteen!

They bought Annie a beautiful scarf and bracelet...

Hammered through the SOLID oreo cookie crust on the bottom of the ice cream cake I made...

Acted goofy...

and serious.

But most of all, they just enjoyed each other's company and made Annie very happy!

That's what good friends are for!