holding on & letting go.

I noticed these little helicopters were about the only thing left on the tree after a big wind and rain storm Thursday night. They seemed to be holding-on with all their might as the breeze tossed them around. The tree is pretty much bare except for a few leaves and helicopters still holding-on. I wonder why they hold-on so long? How do they know when it's time to let-go?

Anyone who's known me for any length of time knows that I hold on to things. My office is a perfect, literal example. Books, CDs, cards from years ago, photos, trinkets and treasures from my childhood on up to my college years and first few jobs. In fact, while up in my office looking for a CD for Max, I came across an email I had printed out from May of 2004, before leaving that job to move down here and start my new, married life. It was from a co-worker, thanking me for doing such a great job at my job. And today, as I read it seven years later, it made me smile. It made me feel really good. And I briefly thought, I can't throw this away! You don't get that kind of praise as a stay at home mom. Not even close.

Life is a lot about holding-on and letting-go. Holding-on to hurts feelings, expectations of myself and others. Holding-on to disappointments and sadness and worry. Holding-on to anxieties about the my future, my son's future, my parents' future. Holding-on to "stuff" - we all have so much "stuff" in our lives. Do we really need it all? All those books we've read and we know we will never read again. All those CDs we've put on our iPod. All those cards from loved ones. Why do we keep it? What are we really holding-on to by holding-on to all of that "stuff" - the "stuff" we can touch and the "stuff" that touches our heart and soul. Unfulfilled dreams? Pieces of our younger days? Memories of when times seemed simpler? All of this holding-on wears me so far down, that you'd think I'd just fall to the ground in pieces. And some days I do - or at least I feel like I'd like to, but I can't. I'm a mom. I have a small child. I have to be the responsible one now.

And so I guess I'll let-go of what I can. The things that feel safe to let-go of. And at the same time I'll likely hold-on to a lot of things. The things that keep me sane. The things that remind me of that happy-go-lucky girl I used to be.

And that note from that co-worker? I pinned it up on the cork board in my office. It made me smile; it was just as if he was standing before me telling me what a great job I'm doing now.

{Some things really are worth holding on to.}

a little more fall.

A little more fall for your viewing pleasure. Most of the leaves are off the trees now, but I captured these on a sunny day last week. Our pretty Japanese maple.

Lovely, huh?... :)

fall

We've had a gorgeous fall here in Southwest Washington, with quite a few sunny days. I captured a few photos of the leaves on the huge maple trees in our backyard. Well, actually in the greenbelt that is our backyard. (I'm spoiled, I tell ya. I can never have backyard neighbors again.)

Tracey, these are for you! :)

Helicopters...

Future maples. (And my black Nikes.)

My buddies, Stacey, Michelle and Tracey posted their own fabulous photos of fall. Go check them out! (And thanks for inviting others to link-up with you, gals!)

trip to the pumpkin patch.

Last Tuesday I tagged along on Max's school trip to the pumpkin patch. It was almost 80 degrees out - fabulous (minus the CRAZY amount of bees at the farm...)

The Meisgeier stick-out-your-tongue shot. There are numerous photos of my husband and his two sisters with their tongues hanging out. Reminder - I may have the Meisgeier last name, but I am a Roth. And we keep our tongues in our mouths.

Cute yellow Croc boots...

Holding hands with the girl in the yellow boots, Audra.

I think he was tired by the time we took the hay-ride back from the pumpkin patch.