holy last 5 months went by in a blink....

First: 

Joyful Merry Holiday Mayan Epoch Ending Solstice to ring in the Festivus of all Greetings!!!

Second: 

I have nine more days off and will attempt to finish several blog posts about events that happened over the last five months. 

If I've been absent around as of late, it is because life has been being lived. So... that is a good thing. 

Third:

If I don't get around to finishing those posts it is because I am embracing my family and spending time with them, it is because I am napping and resting my self in preparation for the next 7 months of our lives, it is because I am out living... trying to make the most of what I've got to give and receive.

New York City, Thanksgiving 2012

limbo

waiting for people to move away or near. job offered. job declined. waiting on another job offer. the mad days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. returning from her future. between his birthday and mine. still posting Philly photos, while taking more in NYC. 

these days.... 

coincidence that my daughter ended up in a high school named after him?

Barack Obama, yet to accept the nomination
Key Arena, Seattle, WA
February 8, 2008

The Voters Entrance at my daughter's middle school. 

Even though it was an absentee I wanted to get a picture of it going in to the box.  

Self Explanatory

Obama's reelection night, Pittsburgh, PA 11/6/12 .....  Madonna Concert @ Pepsi Center, Denver, CO 11/11/08

where I get it done in my district, Pittsburgh, PA November 2012

I VOTED

4 years later

since I was in the concert and all, I had to rely on texting updates.

Cause that is how she rolls. 

I need a Pittsburgh calendar...

that reminds me of things like...

• Mr. Rogers Birthday
• Steeler's Opening Game (although there is usually a week's notice on that one, I'm just not paying attention)
• Light Up Night

but more importantly like... 

National Pierogi Day

Our celebration was small, and admittedly a bit commercial (next year I will be prepared with legit Pittsburgh locally made pierogis; although in my defense, Mrs. T's were the first pierogis I ever had). 

really...

I just like saying and eating pierogis.

I love that my grocery store actually has a sign for them, does yours? 

I remember the first time I had Mrs. T's.... on Capitol Hill in Seattle, over 17 years ago. 

of course with real bacon bits. 

there is a metaphor in there...

relationships are challenging, long term relationships are no exception. people who have been there will say, "it is a lot of work". love is wonderful and all, but life still needs to be lived and when you have two people, throw in a kid + one dog who thinks she is a baby - that is four lives that still need to be lived. not always easy....

[The huz and I recently went on a day trip to the highest point of elevation in PA (as in the entire state of PA). I won't give away the height, you will have to look at the photos to see the exact height; but I'll tell you this - I spent 73.9% of my childhood at a higher elevation than this. Anyhooozle.... it was challenging in a few different ways, and the age old "directions" issue was certainly one of the ways (we had shitty cell service, and no old fashioned maps). We were experiencing different things once we arrived, and physically we were not equal. Then we got super duper lost coming home... BUT - neither of us had ever been there, and we were there together, we made it home together, and looking back it will be one of my fondest memories of the two of us.]

.... but it IS ALWAYS WORTH THE VIEW.