Hello Again. And a list of good byes.

Hello Again. You still out there?

The break from blogging was just what I needed, but now I am itching to get going again and hope that you still have an appetite to read it. Thanks for being so patient with me.

While this post is a Hello, it comes on a day of good byes. ugh.

Mr. S is kicking ass all over Europe and the states for the next two and a half months and I am going to miss him like crazy. I kissed him good bye at the subway entrance and right now the time until we smooch again feels like forever. That said, I couldn't be happier for him that the thing he loves has him touring the world with his best friends to boot! And, it gives me some time to get grounded, re-focus on a few things and (dare I say it...) get started on Christmas gifts.

And if Mr. S leaving was not enough, my sweet best S is moving to Vancouver (her flights departs less then an hour after Mr. S's) and I am not sure what I will do without her. S is one of those ladies who is up for anything, offers the perfect advice and is always calm and rational (two qualities I seriously lack). She is the best kind of friend you can ask for and I am going to miss her so much. That said, she has already started an amazing life for herself our west (and she doesn't even live there yet!) and I am so excited and proud of her for making the move.

Just a few days we said Sayonara to summer (which is cool because Fall rules, but man what a great summer it was) and Sibling J is hitting the road shortly, closing off a whole list of good byes! No one else leave please - ok? Or at least not until one of these things returns. Deal? Awesome.

And then tomorrow we will be saying good bye in a more final way to my lifelong neighbor and friend (showing all of us a thing or two about life, thriving until the age of 98!) who passed away this summer. Sibling J and I are doing the eulogy and right now I feel like I have too many memories and thoughts to put down into only a few words. She was someone I experienced life with (She was there to greet me the day I came home from the hospital) so telling stories about something that seems so second nature is not coming easily. I know the words will come and have my pen ready to record them as soon as they do. And if my words don't quite capture all the amazing that she was, I will do my best to live each day for the next forever trying to do that.

Aside from Today's good byes, the summer was a truly amazing one that had us traveling to the east coast of Canada, toasting the marriage of friends, enjoying the cottage and loving our home (and of course, constantly renovating it). Months of backlog and stories to share and hopefully many inspiring days ahead. I am so happy to be back.

xo Laurs