Vacations, Visitors, and the Pursuit of Consciousness

Oh my goodness!  It has taken me quite a while to get back to this blogging thing!  I'll admit, I became a little preoccupied in March with other things and checked out of the blogging business for a while.  After that, LIFE happened and that's just about all the excuses I have for this post! 

I guess starting where I left off is the best place to begin catching everyone up...

APRIL-Hillary begins her yoga certification.  What an exciting experience this has been already!  The program I am participating in is a one-weekend-a-month kind of thing where I learn what yoga is really about, how I can apply it to my life and how I can help those around me (who are interested) as well. This really couldn't have fallen into my lap at a better time.  The month of April was already proving to be less than desirable, and the months that followed gave me many opportunities to practice "living in the moment" AND "breathing deeply." So far, I have relearned human anatomy and Ayurveda (the science of nutrition); have discovered I am a "Pita-Kapha"; and found a new level of patience. I've always enjoyed yoga and now I get to potentially DO something with this passion and learn much more about the art and science of a centuries old approach to life.

MAY-The school year ended and hope for a backyard fence began.

JUNE-Matt, Michelle, Tim, and I wend on a cruise to the Western Caribbean.  We traveled to Grand Cayman Island, Cozumel, Roatan, and Belize.  What a wonderful trip and such a blessing to experience! It was great to travel with Matt and Michelle (we miss them so much now that we are back in the south.)  Check out some of the highlights:

When we returned from the cruise, we were met with the unfortunate news that Tim's father would need some surgery that propelled us into a long summer of going back and forth between Spartanburg, Greenville, and Traveler's Rest.  The good news here is that through all of it, Dan is doing much better and is currently on the mend. 
JULY-Grandfather Mountain Highland Games really started off the month for us.  We camped a few nights and got a taste of tartans, bagpipes and the infamous Marshmellow War.  Somehow...(we must have been distracted...)there were no pictures captured of this weekend!  Will post from next year's event!  Shortly after this weekend, our dear friend from Colorado, Jenny, came to visit for a week!  I was so excited to have her here!  I had been very homesick for Colorado and she was the perfect antidote!  While here, we gave her a taste of southern cuisine, southern drawl, and southern heat...and then we took her to Charleston!



Our door is always open to our dear friend Jenny!  Just as she was leaving, Michelle and Carson made a quick visit before my mother and I headed back to the beach with them, but this time it was to Edisto Island:





What a great time!  Even through the power outage, my mother and I enjoyed and were appreciative of such a great chance to hang out with Michelle and her family!

AUGUST-This month was full of preparations...going back to school; Dan coming home from the hospital; Michelle and Carson making yet another return, but this time to help out with the family.  What a fast and busy month this was! 

SEPTEMBER-And here it is mid-September.  My 30th and Tim's 32nd are quickly approaching. We have just returned from yet another vacation to New Hampshire for Mary and Andy's wedding and I've learned through Ayuveda that if I truly want to honor my dosha, I need to give up TOMATOES!  Not sure if that last one will ever happen.  What will happen are more posts from me...starting with pictures from the New Hampshire trip.  I've just got to get them loaded on the computer! To all out there reading this who are close, we value your presence in our lives.  It has certainly been full with you in it!  For those of you reading this who are far away, we feel the void and cherish the moments we get.  Jai Bhagwan and Love to you all!