Never Too Old

Legos + Architecture + Frank Lloyd Wright + me = Fun!

Great Idea: starting my lego Guggenheim Museum

Bad Idea: starting my lego Guggenheim @ 10pm on Thursday evening

(I'll let you know that I started it last night and actually went to bed before midnight...
and then woke up this morning at 5:30 am just fine, thanks!)

10pm on Thursday evening

this is what I called the 'disaster zone'

When I was younger, you could not pry me from my lego collection. I hated to leave what I started in order to eat dinner or do anything really. I even made a working carousel once, and that was not built from a kit. It was built from sheer imagination.

My aunt and cousin gave me some 'big girl legos' for Christmas this year. They knew that I would appreciate putting together my very own Guggenheim Museum (the architect is Frank Lloyd Wright), and I am thoroughly enjoying putting it together! You're never too old to play with legos.

The Guggenheim Museum kit comes with an easy to follow step by step booklet, and it made putting every piece into place a snap (pun intended).

 The beginning

 I'm starting to see it now...

 The home stretch

Finished Guggenheim!

I was actually kind of sad when I snapped the last piece into place. Guess I'll need to go looking for a new museum to 'build' now. Nate just asked me if I was going to break it apart and rebuild it again, and I said "absolutely not!" After 'construction' we just sit and enjoy the finished product. Tada!

Start With Yourself

This is probably not the most focused blog I've ever written, but I'm sharing it anyways. I have a lot running through my mind at the moment... so that's probably how this blog is going to 'sound'. Bear with me.

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After watching the State of the Union (let's call it the SU for short) address this week, I couldn't help but feel at least a little hopeful at a few of the things that Obama said. I'm not one to get really involved in politics, because, quite honestly, I find the division of people into two very different groupings (Repubs vs. Dems) to be incredibly discouraging. However, there were glimmers of good (like there are in pretty much everything) in some of the things that our president spoke of in his speech. I hope maybe you picked up on something that sounded good to you too!

In the SU address, I heard a common thread of holding ourselves accountable. (Or am I crazy? Did anyone else hear that?) He talked about how parents have to do their jobs in order for teachers to better be able to do their jobs, and he also mentioned some incredibly amazing people and what they have done to stay relevant, and even thrive, in this turbulent (hey, there's an aviation reference) economy. Honestly, some of what he said in the SU made me want to be a better person. (Not that I didn't want to be a good person before, but this served as a reminder) I think that if everyone tried to be a little bit better at something that it would make a huge impact on the world. (maybe I'm crazy optimistic, but I like it that way!) I feel like in order to make a difference, I need to start with myself. Honestly if you aren't happy with yourself... why would you be happy with anyone or anything else?! Instead of complaining about what politicians are doing wrong (I mean hey they're human too... aka not perfect), I hope to see what is going right instead. We really are accountable for our own happiness and success in life. When we get it ourselves, then we can share it with others.

I really hope to do my best to give to this world. Whether it be to give my gifts (which I'm working on figuring out), my time, anything really. The SU address really shook me up a bit, and it made me realize that I have this life to live... and if I don't live it, then it's my fault. It's not the governments fault... or my parents fault... or my friends fault. Hold yourself accountable to be the best person that you can, and don't let anyone tell you differently. If I know anything, it's that happiness is super important... and it starts here.

I love this quote!

... it also scares me.

What Inspires You?

Today I feel that it's necessary to think about things that inspire me, because I could use a bit of a boost.

So here goes:

LOVE

It's amazingly inspiring to feel loved. The kind of love that is unconditional and makes you want to be a better person kind of love. I believe that everyone deserves to be loved like that. So to me, love in one of the most inspiring things out there. Love someone today!

I love this quote from Moulin Rouge, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."

THOUGHTFUL INTERIORS

source: Traditional Home

There's something about an interior that is creative and comfortable that makes me a little weak in the knees. I love walking into a space and it makes me feel 'at home' immediately. When an interior makes me feel safe and comfortable, while letting my mind relax at the same time, I just want to stay there forever! There's something special about an interior that has spaces for everyone to gather yet also has spaces for people to get away and relax. When I was younger, I always imagined my dream house with little hideaways and all my favorite things. Thoughtful interiors that reflect your life and the way you live are inspiring to me!

FOREIGN DESTINATIONS

Cinque Terre, Italy

Read this previous blog about why I love to travel, and you'll get a little understanding for why I am inspired by visiting new places. I also think you can consider almost anywhere that you've never been before a foreign destination, but the language barrier does help with seeing something differently for the first time. I find inspiration in places that I've never been before, because it takes me out of my comfort zone and forces me to learn something new... and that to me is inspiring.

KIND PEOPLE

This might seem like a strange picture to represent 'kind people', because it's just an image of mine and Nate's shoes. This picture reminded me of the older couple who shared a bench with us on the Naples's pier during our honeymoon. We were all waiting for the sun to set, and the older man next to us started talking to Nate about how long him and his wife had been married and talked a little about their family. The fact that he was a stranger yet oozed love and interest about his life and family was amazing. It made us both look forward to just growing older together and sharing this life. So for that... kind people inspire me, because sometimes it's the smallest things that strangers do that can make the biggest impact!

THE BEACH

I find the beach incredible, because it's this amazing place where human inhabited land meets uninhabitable water (at least to humans... unless you're on a ship). It's a little bit of mystery and unknown meets real life on land. The sounds and sights at the beach are soothing, and I could spend all day just silent but watching the water and animals that live near the sea. The beach and everything about it inspire me.

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I think that I could now go on and on with things that inspire me, and the great thing is that I know these things surround me every day. Some days I fail to see inspiration, but it's not for lack of inspiring things in life... sometimes I just forget to open my eyes to it.

M.i.A.

I've been missing from blog world for a few days.

I guess you could say that I was busy... and also a little uninspired. Sometimes when I hit a little slump, I just want to sit around in my pajamas and eat ice cream and not socialize with anyone. That didn't happen though, because we have been busy with family and friends.

In these past few days, Nate and I visited a microbrewery with friends, played trivia with friends, and visited with some family that were in town. We both had a good time getting out and having fun.

Today though, I am going to sit around and read Harry Potter (don't judge, it's for 'grown ups' too). I am going to drink coffee, and I might even watch some crappy reality television. I feel like I need to be anti-social and re-charge.... oh well, it happens. :) I'm going to be doing lots of thinking today too, and let me tell you... I think that's tiring on its own!

So that's where we've been lately. Do you ever feel the need to 'hibernate' too?

The Little Things

Yesterday while we walked around the University of Denver campus, Nate spotted a little bird's nest. Height worked to his advantage in spotting the nest, because it was above my head and I was not looking for anything small up there. Glad that he noticed it though, because obviously I had to take some pictures of it... which proved slightly difficult since it was almost higher than I could reach.

After standing on tip toes with arms over my head, I nabbed this picture of the little nest up close. Wonder if it had been abandoned? The nest looked like someone, or something, had left in a hurry. Either way, I'm glad that Nate spotted it and that I could snap a picture of it to share with you.

It's not only people that enjoy the protection of a well-designed shelter. Birds love a safe place to raise a family too! Smart birds if you ask me. The creator of that nest definitely chose a lovely place to call its home. I'm sure it was more out of necessity than for the sheer joy of living next to a college campus, but I like it anyway! :)

If you don't slow down and take a minute to breath and observe, you just might miss the little things.

Words to Live By

Nate had some stitches taken out today, and I went along for the ride. His doctor's office is basically next door to the University of Denver, and I wanted to take some pictures on the campus while we were in the neighborhood. I just love college campuses. They are always full of such great energy... not to mention the architecture and the inspiration that lives there!

While walking across the DU campus, I spotted this beautiful metal fence complete with wonderful words of inspiration. It was as if it were talking directly to me, because the words were just what I needed to see at that moment.

I feel like the words in this sign are something that I need to do more of, because recently I've been feeling a bit like a failure. I am my own worst enemy.

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."  -Henry David Thoreau

"Some [wo]men see things as they are and say 'why'?
Others dream things that never were and say 'why not'?  -George Bernard Shaw

I would really love to believe this next quote:

"God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them."  -Unknown 

Nate and I also walked by the Evans Memorial chapel that's on the DU campus. Not too long ago we were married inside of that chapel. Our first anniversary is creeping up on us, and it was fun to see the chapel where our wedding took place and to think that was almost a year ago already!

On our way back to the car, I noticed this sign on the beautiful brick building in front of us. I thought to myself "that is such an odd sign to put on such a beautiful building!". Oh the irony. Hopefully it's not necessary to use it as a fallout shelter after all.

"Fallout Shelter"

Just thought I'd end this blog with a laugh or a smile. :)

4 Years

I just read a post, on a blog called 'Story of My Life', about how much and how quickly life can change. It inspired me to write one of my own... so here goes.

In the past 4 years (plus a few months) these are some milestones and changes that have taken place in my life:

• I graduated from college with a bachelor of science in architecture degree.
• Spent 6 weeks in Europe drawing and learning more about... well, about everything.
• Moved from Michigan to Colorado alone when I was 23, and I drove myself across the country with all of the belongings I would need in the back of my jeep. Road trip!
• Got my first snowboarding pass. Made lots of trips to the mountains.
• Lost some friends... and made some new ones too.
• Worked my butt off waiting tables in a restaurant in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
• Found my first architecture job at a firm south of Denver... then was laid off from that firm.
• Met the man I would marry!
• After being let go from my first architecture job, I quickly found my next one... where I stayed for 2 years.
• Lived in 4 other places other than the apartment that we live in now.
• Was laid off from my 2nd architecture job. (umm... this is a sign)
• Started a blog and began sharing some of my life on the internet.
• Nate asked me to marry him, and of course I said "yes!".
• Planned a wedding, and got married to the love of my life. <3
• Honeymooned in a chilly southern Florida, and had a great time with my husband! :)
• Became a season ticket holder for an NFL football team, Go Broncos! (Nathan, thank you for getting on the list early)  ;)
• Saw my first Cirque du Soleil show.
• Lost my dear grandmother, she was definitely one of my biggest fans.

I could probably go on and on... but these are some of the major milestones and changes that have been a part of my life. I cannot believe that I turn 28 in just over a couple of weeks, because it sometimes seems like just yesterday that I was leaving for my move across the country. How time flies!

Have the last few years of your life been moving as quickly as I feel mine have?

Gratitude

Today is my mother's birthday.

I think that is something worth celebrating.

My mom and my aunt lost their parents when they were both in their early teens. Their parents died only 20 days apart. One... and then the other. I never got to meet my biological grandparents on my mother's side. Sometimes I still cannot wrap my head around that, because so many people get to have their grandparents in their lives until they are in their 20s or so. Oh how I often wish to have known them. Who were those incredible people?

My dad's father died when I was 3... I hardly remember him, and my grandma on my dad's, side lived until just a couple of years ago. She outlived a couple of her children (my uncles)... something that most parents never wish to happen. She lived longer than some grandparents do, and I am thankful for that.

However today, I am celebrating another year of my mom. Even if I cannot be with her in person... I am keeping her in my thoughts all day long. Today is all about her! Thank you, Mom. :)

Happy Birthday!

Change

"The only constant in life is change."

Lately I have been thinking a lot about change, because it seems like my life has changed drastically since I went off to college. Am I okay with that? Sometimes. Does change make me want to get on my knees and cry? At times. Sometimes change can be painful, but it always makes you grow as a person. I'm learning to embrace change instead of fighting it, because fighting change is a losing battle.

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy, for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another." - Anatole France

In a way, we do 'die' to one life in order to pass on to the next. It might feel wrong to leave parts of yourself behind, but sometimes the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself... right? When you do leave parts of yourself behind, you can move on and grow into a stronger and more mature person. Essentially we die to our adolescent life in order to move onto being a young adult, and then we go to college (had to lighten the mood a little), and then we die to that part of our life in order to become an adult. Let me say that when I think about death I get a little sad, but this kind of death allows for new 'birth'. I can honestly say that I am glad I died to my younger life, because it would be really creepy for a 5 year old to marry a 20 something year old. That being said, giving up a part of yourself and who you are definitely makes you melancholy at times, but it also helps you grow more into the person that you are meant to be. Sometimes you just need to let go. Let go, in order to grow.  :)

I think that most people probably hate letting go because it's painful... of course, but I'm pretty sure that I'd rather let go and deal with the brief pain than to hold onto something and suffer pain for life. If I had the choice between a broken bone or a broken heart... I would choose the bone, because they heal a heck of a lot faster! Who would choose long term, but not necessarily permanent, pain? Not many I bet. I know too many people who fight life's changes, and that to me is like choosing a broken heart. Ouch! I believe that dealing with pain, instead of harboring it, helps you come out on top.

Part of my fascination with certain environments probably has to do with the constant change and flow of life. In a way, it's soothing for me to experience places where life carries on, because it's a reminder that things can, and do, change in an instant. I could sit and watch the clouds move and transform for hours. The way they shape shift and pass by to reveal new clouds is mesmerizing. Water environments, specifically lakes and oceans, also relieve my frantic mind. From one second to the next, the waves on a lake change and morph from one to the next. The surface changes direction in an instant. Not to mention the air above a lake, it can roll in a storm before you count to three. Nature is particularly comforting, because you are powerless to its constant changes. All you need to do is sit back and relax, and go with the flow.

In the middle of all life's energy is an incredible calm. Just look for it. There it is. Change. The only constant in life.

Passion

"We must absolutely do what we love or we run the risk of doing nothing at all."

What is your passion? Are you one of the lucky few who love your work? (I seriously believe that if you love what you do then it's not actually like work at all). I don't believe I know very many people who truly love what they do. One thing I know for sure is that architecture is not my passion. I mean... I enjoy a well-designed building as much as the next person, but to be honest, I don't want to be the one responsible for designing it. All of the restrictions placed on architecture, budget and building codes for example, limit it to the point where it feels like a chore to me and not much of an art. Maybe that's because I was typically only allowed to draft details of the construction, and I had very little to do with the actual design, the artistic part. You have very little choice, or artistic liberty, when it comes to drawing the detail of how a wall connects to the foundation. Buildings would fall down if people got creative with construction details. I was never really able to see my ideas come into creation as an architectural intern. Am I bitter about that? Maybe a little. If anything, I'm more mad at myself for being sucked down the wrong path, but if anything I guess I learned a great deal from it.

I am an artist. Duh! It took me this long to figure that out?! I mean, I feel like I've been holding myself back for the past 10 years. I really do feel as if I've been doing nothing at all... except for those little things that I enjoy doing in my free time. Like putting together scrapbooks and making homemade bows for Christmas presents. My time has not been wasted, because it has been spent learning.

All that I want is to love what I do... so I guess that I should start by doing what I love. The trick seems to be making money doing what you love. Money is definitely not my motivating factor, because money does not buy happiness... and I know enough people who make a lot of money who are not necessarily happy to know that I'm not going down that path. Do you know anyone who chose a career for the money? Do they love what they do?

Lately, I've spent a lot of my time thinking about what I love and how to make a living doing it. Making a living is not to be confused with getting rich. Bills need paying. If anything, unemployment has been a blessing for giving me the chance to think about things. Maybe I'll create the job that's meant for me. Working for myself would be a dream come true. Working for someone else or not, I hope to be passionate about whatever it is I do.

Perspective

²per·spec·tive:


a : the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed perspective>;also : point of view
b : the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance perspective>

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I love photography.

I've been slowly learning on my own how to use the fancy pants cameras of today. They confuse me, but boy do they do amazing things when you get it right!

Picking up a camera and peering through a lens gives you a much different perspective of the world. For a moment, you forget about your eyes... and the camera lens becomes your porthole to the world out there. I love positioning myself in just the right place in order to get the perspective I was looking for at that time. If you stand just a little more to the right, the picture fills the frame. If you move a little bit to the left, you'll get more of the big picture and people will better understand the context. I find it amazing how putting yourself in just the right place changes the perspective drastically. Such small movements result in such big changes.

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Detroit Metropolitan Airport

(it's amazing how 

2 steps forward 

changes the perspective)

My architecture education definitely gets put to good use when I look through the lens of a camera. I didn't learn to think about spatial quality for nothing.

Everyone has the opportunity to change their perspective of things. If you don't like what you see... change the way you look at it. Move around a little bit, and find the perspective that gives you the picture that you seek.

History

My favorite subject in school was chemistry. It most definitely was not history.

Remembering dates, time lines, and important historical events is like rocket science to me. Some people are great at it, but I am not. However, I'm not talking about history class here. The kind of history that has me thinking tonight is the kind of history that helps you understand where you come from.

Tonight, I glimpsed into my husband's history. Nate's step mom, Tammy, gave him a dvd of converted 8mm film from his childhood. It was absolutely fascinating stepping into his childhood. It's one thing to marry someone who grew up in the same town as you, because there's a good chance that you experienced the same things growing up together in the same place. That's not the case for Nate and I, because I grew up in Texas/Michigan... and he grew up in Colorado. As far as we know, our lives never really overlapped before we met. I was in awe watching some of his life experiences for the first time. Gaining understanding and gratitude for your history definitely gives relevance to today.

This might sound really cheesy, but that dvd was probably one of my favorite gifts that we received.... it's priceless. I never understood the importance of history in high school, but tonight I found a new appreciation. For my husband, and for history.

Little Nate

Little Ashley

A couple of the most important things that you can give to another person is yourself and your time. I think if everyone took the time to learn a little history, we would realize we're not so different. We're all made up of little bits and pieces of history. History is an incredibly important subject after all. Who knew?

Vision

This life's dim windows of the soul. Distorts the heavens from pole to pole. And leads you to believe a lie when you see with, not through, the eye.  -William Blake

( I believe this is a William Blake quote, but when I google searched this quote it seemed that people were crediting it to many different people. If you know this to be different, please let me know. )

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I stumbled upon this quote a while ago, and I'm just now getting around to posting it. The above quote definitely had me thinking about life... but really what hasn't been making me think about life lately?! Some people say I have too much time on my hands, but I think that I'm just learning and growing a bit.

Those who are blind have no eye to see with... but they can still 'see' the world around them. They might have to use other senses in order to see it though. Do they see the world the same way that us with eye sight do? Could you say that their vision might be better than someone with eye sight?

The eyes can deceive. Don't believe everything they see.

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Bellinzona, Switzerland

Castlegrande

Berlin, Germany

Memorial for murdered Jews

Cinque Terre, Italy

hike between the villages

Houston, We Have a Problem

My obsession with airports might be a problem... depending on how you look at it. I could think of much worse problems to have though. For as long as I can remember I've had this crazy infatuation small obsession with airports. It's not unusual for me to go out of my way to book an airline ticket with a long layover somewhere just so I can people watch and soak up a new dynamic airport environment. Airports fascinate me, and I want to see as many of them as I can.

Getting stranded in an airport, which would be a nightmare for most people, would be a dream come true for me. When the Denver airport shutdown due to a blizzard a few years ago, I secretly wished I had been one of those 'lucky' passengers. I mean... how many people in life get to say that they were able to spend a few nights in an airport?! (and we're not talking the airport hotel) Besides maybe Tom Hanks's character, Viktor, in the movie The Terminal and all of those Denver passengers over Christmas in 2006. To me, the airport is like a thriving little city just waiting to zoom people off to their next destination! I keep thinking that one of these days I'll get 'lucky' enough to spend the night in an airport.

Denver International Airport

This travel blog photo's source is TravelPod page: Feb 26, 2010

I would love to travel the world if even just to see all of the airports out there! Just recently, Nate and I visited Michigan for Christmas, and I spent a few hours at the Detroit airport during our return trip home. Most of that time was spent taking pictures of the airport with the amazing DSLR camera that I borrowed from our wedding photographer. (I did not upload any of my pics yet). Airport architecture never ceases to amaze me. A few years ago I even read this really interesting book, called Naked Airport, so that I could learn even more about the cultural history of airports. *Nerd alert* Even nerdier... I know many more airport codes than the average human should. When I helped a friend of mine, who's a flight attendant for Frontier, study for her tests, I knew more of the airport codes than she did... and I wasn't getting paid to know them. Super nerdy, huh? I definitely love everything about airports. (Except for maybe the restrooms. Ew!) Airports are buildings seen by so many people that they seem to compete with each other for most amazing structure. The competition to have a world class airport definitely makes them interesting and fun to explore.

Here are some of my favorites:

Houston's George Bush
Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Terminal E

photo credit: Cambridge Architectural


Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
McNamara Terminal

photo credit: here



Denver International (DIA)
The Jeppesen Terminal

photo credit: John Picken


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The airports above are a few of my favorites, and they're a small selection of the ones that I have visited. My criteria for liking an airport is not very difficult to meet. If there's a good place to for people watching I'm pretty happy. Trains, trams, and people movers are also a fun addition to any terminal and concourse. Airports with a lot of natural light also seem to make the top of my list... skylights, windows, and multi-story height spaces are great! Give me something to look at while I'm there.

Have you passed through any of the above airports? What is your favorite... or least favorite airport?

Dream Big

Let the gift giving commence! Yeah... I know we just had Christmas, but my birthday is less than a month away. :) Since my birthday is so close to Christmas, it's sort of like Christmas never ended. We actually haven't had Christmas with some of our family members yet, so really it hasn't ended!

I was inspired by a wish list that I saw on another blog... you can see the list that I fell for here. (I got the "Good Morning" mug idea from her blog)

Here is my Birthday wish list:

Since I love to read, my wish list would not be complete without a great book. Some really books that I've read recently include: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and the Harry Potter Books.

TOMS shoes have been on my wish list for a while now. I even blogged about the shoes in a previous blog. Today I saw a girl wearing this black glittery pair of TOMS... and I fell in love with them. Plus someone in need gets a free pair with a purchase, so if anyone gives you a pair as a gift they're giving to a great cause at the same time.

I drink a cup of coffee basically every morning, and I would love to drink my coffee out of this "Good Morning" mug. It's so fun! Plus one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was drinking out of it one morning... and I'll let you in on a little secret... I watch that show pretty much all of the time once in a while when I can. ;)

I mentioned a book above that I read recently, and it was written by the real life family who inspired the movie The Blindside. While watching the movie, I noticed a beautiful watch worn by Sandra Bullock who played Leigh Anne Tuohy. I did a little bit of google-ing and found out who made the watch. It's pretty darn pricey, but hey... a girl can dream! This isn't called a wish list for nothing, you know.

Not everything that I have on my wish list is a thing. On the night that Nate proposed, he took me to an amazing restaurant in Denver called Vesta Dipping Grill. They have the most delicious food, and I would love to spend my birthday enjoying a great meal at Vesta. Yum!

Last but not least, I would love to win the HGTV Dream Home for my birthday! *dream big* You can enter every day through February 18th, and I can assure you that I'm entering every day for my chance to win this birthday dream gift. Wouldn't that be a great birthday gift?!

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I don't expect any of these things for my birthday, but hey... it's fun to dream! Of anything on my wish list, I'd love to have a nice dinner at Vesta Dipping Grill. It would taste way better than a watch or house any day. 

What are your favorite birthday memories or gifts that you have received??

Disproportionate

Bear with me, but this is sort of a spur of the moment random blog. I'm feeling a little like a kid that's trying to choose which present to open on Christmas morning. I have no idea where to begin right now. My mind is sort of all over the place, and I don't really know what to contemplate right now... but here it is.

Why is it that time seems to move faster and faster the older you get? Or is it just me. I mean, when you were 5 years old a 45 minute car trip felt like eternity. It seems so unfair to me that when you're young and have all the energy in the world time seems to creep along like traffic during rush hour. How come time doesn't fly when you're young? Is it because life is trying to teach you all of the lessons possible, and that would not take place if things were flying along at break neck pace. Maybe the older and wiser we get, life thinks it can clip along at a quicker pace because we have a sizable knowledge base. Who knows, but man it seems a little unfair that life just seems to speed up more and more with the years. I mean... I'm trying not to miss anything, and it's tiring to keep up at times! Don't get me wrong, I'm not out of energy. If anything, I hope to be one of those 90 year olds who's still shoveling their own driveways. Hopefully my energy actually increases as time seems to speed up with age. That would be ideal.

I think part of me is worried that I'm taking time for granted. My career is practically non-existent... okay, it is non existent. My husband's line of work requires him to be gone a lot, and I really hope to make the best of any/whatever time we have together. In a way his career (thank goodness he has one he loves) has made me think a lot about how I spend my time. I honestly don't want to live life with regrets, and taking the opportunity to assess your time, and how it's spent, really seems to help with using time more wisely. I don't want to spend my time working for anyone who doesn't value me as a person, and I definitely don't want to spend my time worrying about where the time has gone. The older I get, the more I think about what I want and don't want out of life. One thing I know for sure... life isn't slowing down, and I want to live it!

Looking back, it's amazing how time seemed to come from a never ending supply. Age, experience, and time change everything. Funny how things change with time.