the leaves have all fallen.

Our backyard backs-up to a green-belt in our neighborhood. A greenbelt with lots of huge maple trees of some sort. It's really the most beautiful backyard a person could ask for - big, glorious trees to watch change with the seasons and blow in the wind; and best yet - no backyard neighbors. We are spoiled. But when the leaves fall off in the fall, they create quite the pile. HUGE piles of leaves. It's all really rather lovely. A leaf-jumping kid's dream. And since we have the greenbelt that means we don't have to rake leaves and bag them. Nope. We get to just blow them into the greenbelt and let nature do her natural recycling thing. :) This year Max took hold of that leaf blower and boy did he have fun. So glad I got out my big camera for this little adventure. The leaves are all off the trees now. We can see a bit further to the north. I can see where I worked before I had Max. Ironically, with the leaves gone in the winter we get about the same amount of light in the house (before it gets dark at 4:30) as in the summer when all of those leaves block a lot of light (and cast a green tint on everything.) Now we can watch the branches bend in the winter winds. I love these trees.

the leaf blower.

the leaf blower.

(crickets...not sure anyone is stopping by this space anymore, or my other space, but I'll keep posting anyway!...crickets...more of the leaf blower to come. :)

crickets...)

october 365+1

unlike any other.

It's easy to get caught-up in the masses. To think that you are just like everyone else out there. We get caught-up in the latest fashions, and the latest thinking, and keeping up with the Jones'. All most of us have ever really wanted, from the time we were in grade school, was to be like the rest. To fit in. To be liked. And at middle age, most of us still go to great lengths to be like everyone else. Skinny jeans, long sweater, cute boots, long hair with just the perfect length bangs. Check! We fit in! Or at least we look like we fit in. But I would venture to guess that there is a lot of suppression of our real self in those attempts. And underneath that suppression, a lot of sadness.

We will likely always live in a world where conforming to the masses is far more acceptable than making our own statement.

But I sincerely hope you know you are unlike any other.

Yes, You. 

The sound and tone of your voice, your brain, your fingerprints, and irises are nothing like your mom or dad's, your child's, or your best friend's. They are not like your spouse's, or your child's teacher, or your favorite politician's or the pastor of your church. So while you may nod your head in agreement with those around you, please know that you are not them. And they are not you. 

No matter how much you try to fit in among the masses, you will never fit in.

And that is such a beautiful thing. 

Let your unique voice be heard. Don't be afraid to brush-up against the masses and say something different. Do not let your overwhelming desire to fit in, override the pieces of you that make you unlike any other. God did not fearfully and wonderfully make you just to watch you float adrift on the current of popular style, opinion and thinking. He made you unlike any other. Cherish that. Guard it with your heart. Let it shine. Think for yourself, not for the masses.

You get this one life; this one version of you.

Stop trying to be like everyone else, and instead - be unlike any other.

the friends that are family.

This family is like family to us. Eric and Rob grew-up together on Mercer Island. They've known each other since the time they were Max's age. Eric has always considered Rob a brother, and in a way, they really are brothers when you see them together. And all these years later we ended up moving to the same little SW Washington city that they were living in, Camas. The girls have called Eric, Uncle Meis, for years...and then we got married and I became Auntie Meis (doesn't have quite the same, cute ring to it...) Those girls love Max like the brother they don't have, and Max loves Miss A and Miss H like sisters he doesn't have.

It's a rare and beautiful thing. They're a gift, really. Those friends who would do anything for you, and you for them - no questions asked.

It was an easy shoot - our friends that are family.

Thank you, Afflecks.

xo