Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Dead Roses On The Retinas

Today I’ll be gone 12-14 hours getting Sarah to Victory Junction Gang Camp, getting her checked in and then getting back home. (You’ll be able to read more about her experiences later this week on her site.)

One of the very few drawbacks of living on a lovely island near the sea is that just about anywhere you go is a long way away. Fortunately, Sarah and I both love to travel; in fact, she’s been experiencing a case of itchy feet recently and has been longing to get on the road and go somewhere. Anywhere! So this trip will be extra fun for her.

Plus, the journey will lead us right past our favorite consignment store in North Carolina, so we will definitely make a little mother/daughter stop there. (If you live in the area, the store is called My Secret Closet and it’s at exit 154 off I-85.)

Since my time today will be spent traveling instead of blogging, I’ll just post a few “porch photos” in celebration of our first week of living in a house that we can finally call our own.

Consider this your personal invitation to come up the front steps and sit a spell!

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Unfortunately, I won’t be able to offer you a glass of sweet Southern tea while you sit and swing because it seems as though I have not yet mastered the art of making iced tea. I know, I know. How can I possibly call myself a Southern woman and not make—or drink—iced tea? It’s a travesty, without a doubt.

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Snowy loves the porch, too and he is of the considered opinion that he is the king of all he surveys. And we always humor him in that regard so as not to damage his fluffy self-esteem.

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A couple days ago, I glanced out the window at the porch and saw Steve and Sarah in this odd pose. I took a picture of them so that I could furtively study it when they weren’t looking in an effort to figure out what strange activity they were engaged in. Thankfully they saved me the trouble by telling me that they were trying to get water out of their ears after taking a swim in our neighborhood pool. (Which is about 200 feet from where we live. Which is yet another reason why we love our house!)

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Thankfully, the water finally evacuated the ears of the Smith Duo and they were free to just sit and converse without any further gyrations. I love the look on Sarah’s face as she talks to her daddy.

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Here’s Steve on the porch wearing a t-shirt given to him for his birthday. Don’t you love it? (If you can’t read the small print it says, “A legend in my own mind.”) Actually I think Snowy could use a similar shirt in a doggie size.

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Okay. Now I really do hate to brag, but I believe that the following picture definitely shows off my remarkable and incredible photography skills. I mean, what other photographer do you know who would do that “fancy, blurry shot” thingie and frame the subject of the photo between two dead roses?

“No one,” you say?

Oh well. I guess I’ll just have to accept the realization that my photographic brilliance is unparalleled.

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Just in case you missed the creative composition of the first shot, here’s another one for ya. Those dead roses certainly do create a certain, um, aura, don’t they?

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Since I really hate to leave you with visions of dead roses on your retinas, I’ll finish up with a couple pictures that are a tad more inspiring.

Porch.

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Home.

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Grateful.

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A couple of you asked what was in the dessert concoction that Sarah had in the fridge. If I remember correctly, she said it contained Oreos, peanut butter, milk, and chocolate syrup with whipped cream on top. It was quite the yummy creation!

8 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Anonymous said...

you read my mind, becky! I was going to ask you about that AND will a visit with Victoria be happening this summer?

Great pictures your talents are endless.

Jodi

Love Being A Nonny said...

Oh, I know Sarah will have such a good time at camp!

You will be in my country shopping on your way there. I live right there at that store and have never been there. I'll have to check it out!

Anonymous said...

Love your creative dead rose framing! Great bokeh.... :<) And the house truly is beautiful; I'm so glad that things finally worked out. It's time for some celebrating...

Carrie B said...

This makes me have porch envy. {sigh} Envy in a good way. :)

I hope you have some fun things scheduled for yourself and the Hubby while you are empty nesters.

Just sayin'

Anonymous said...

Thank God for Paul Newman for creating the Hole in the Wall Gang camps and the staff, volunteers and donors for making them possible! We moved to Florida and became acquainted with your family through our church where you stopped each year. Sarah and our older daughter are around the same age and played together at our church when you visited. We followed Sarah's and your family's journey through the Caring Bridge site. We cried, prayed and read your words as your family fought this battle. We rejoiced when Sarah was able to experience summer camp through the Victory Junction Gang camp. Little did we know at the time that our daughter would be diagnosed with a heart condition that would make her eligible to attend Camp Boggy Creek (CBC) here in Florida. She attended her first camp session a few years ago with me being scared to death to leave her. When we went to pick her up, the joy that exuded from her being was truly a gift from God and a reminder that He knows what each of us can bear. She attended heart week already this summer at CBC and again returned home with such joy, energy, and peace. We pray (and at the same time know 'cuz its a Hole in the Wall camp) that Sarah has the same great experience at VJ that our daughter had this summer.

Anonymous said...

Just wondering where you got Steves shirt? Hope Sarah has fun at camp!

MaryH said...

Hope you trip to take Sarah to camp was fun and safe. She will have such a great time. I know you are counting the days already to her return. When is that Nathan guy coming back to visit?

Marshmallow Woman said...

Dear Becky,
I am going through a difficult moment of my life and visiting your blog (daily) always brings me serenity and a smile.

Just wanted to let you know. :)

Olivia.