How do you measure a year...

Happy 1st Birthday to my nephew Emory &
Happy 30th Birthday to my sis Christina!

Meeting Em for the first time ~ November 18, 2009



Seasons of Love
by Jonathan Larson

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear
 ...

how do you measure... measure a year

In Daylights, in Sunsets, in Midnights, in Cups of coffee,
In Inches, in Miles, in Laughter, in Strife
In five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
how do you measure a year in a life?

how about love? measure in love... seasons of love...

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
five hundred twenty five thousand journeys to plan ...
how do you measure a life of a woman or a man 

In truths that she learned or in times that she cried,
in bridges he burned or the way that she died
its time now to sing out though the story never ends ...
let's celebrate, remember a year in a life of friends

Emory ~ October 2010

How do we measure a year in a life? I borrow the meaningful words from one of my favorite musicals Rent to help capture the journey of life and love in a given year. Love has filled my heart beyond my imagination by having Emory Noah Lowry in my life this past year ~ big thanks to Tina & Cody for that one. Words cannot describe the joy that the little goose has brought into all of our lives each and every day. I am in awe at my sister for being such a wonderful mother to Em and for letting me share in this journey with their new family.

Even though I was a few days late arriving to the party last year & Em was a few weeks earlier than expected :)

(flashback - Out of Africa)

I am a very proud sister & aunt and I am grateful for the light and love you bring into my life!

Sisters... 2000 something :-)

Happy Birthday to you both and here's to celebrating you today and always!

xoxo,

Mandy
aka Aunt Panda

Seasons of change...

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning." - Morrie (from Tuesday's With Morrie by Mitch Albom)

Hello from Georgia Girl... I am back from a long hiatus, treading water through a time of uncertain transition and my ongoing journey of figuring out where I belong, what I am meant to do and who I am ultimately supposed to be.

I left off with my final days and departure from Tanzania late November of 2009. I came back into a whirlwind of meeting my new nephew Emory... (instantly falling in love), spending time with my family and the holiday craze into 2010 and the ongoing search for a job, new beginning, etc. Needless to say my experiences in Africa were life changing, as well as the transition to life back in Georgia over this past year - I've come to a place were it is time to share some of my ongoing journey through this season of change ~

I am cheating a little to start things off by borrowing a recent blog post from my friend Jamie's amazing blog The Lovely Days that chronicled a wonderful weekend of friendship and living life as we gathered for a "retreat" in Nashville this past October.

"A Retreat of Sorts"

"Two weekends ago, I had the pleasure of reuniting with dear friends. Not just any dear friends, mind you. These ladies: (minus Ellie, who we spent Saturday with as well)

We all lived in New York together, and now we live in Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville and New York (well, someone's got to hold down the fort). And we converged upon one city for a glorious reunion.

We spent the weekend talking, laughing, eating, resting, crying, watching movies, shopping, did I mention eating? We also created a BlackBerry Messenger Group because WE ALL HAVE BLACKBERRIES - the BBM Group Chat started on Saturday and hasn't stopped since. But in real life, the conversation was rich. The tears were needed. The encouragement was real.

Someone (probably Elizabeth, she's the one who tends to say things in real life that could be movie quotes) said that the weekend felt like a retreat, but with only people you trust. I think that sums it up, well, perfectly. It was a retreat with people who know you and like you anyways. A retreat with people who have been where you've been but understand where you're going. A retreat with people who mean it when they say they'll pray for you. A retreat with people who don't think you're lame for dancing to Justin Bieber one minute and then conking out like a narcoleptic on the living room floor. (What?! Did I say that out loud? Yes...yes I did.)

Sometimes I think I wear the fact that I lived in New York like a battle scar. Maybe we all do. My friends and I fought through life together, we scraped through blood, sweat and tears - holidays away from family, monthly apartment rent that nearly broke us, days where the City just chews you up and spits you out - and we survived. Together.

And now many of us have defected, and we're attempting to reengage with our Southern roots and hometowns and cities that are much easier, yet much harder at the same time. I think we all needed this weekend to remind us that we're not alone, that there's someone else in our shoes, that there's no going backwards, and above all else, that the Lord is good. He is sovereign over all...even our heartbreaks, our oddities, our communities and our battle scars."
Her words captured so much of what many of us are going through and to be reminded that we're not alone gives me such hope and faith in what lies ahead. As I continue through this change in seasons, seeking out community and resolve... journey with me.

xoxo
Mandy