Labor Day in Atlanta

I'm so lucky. No, I'm so blessed. I'm blessed by the incredible people that I get to call my friends and my family. I'm blessed by the way they brighten my life and I'm blessed by the support, encouragement, and love that they consistently put forth towards me. This whole life we lead is completely about perspective and about remembering exactly how much we have to be thankful for. These thoughts are things I've actually reflected on daily for a few months now. I've tried really hard to remain humble and so grateful for the smallest joys that I experience. I'm not patting myself on the back by any means, I'm simply in a place in life where I happen to find perspective to be extremely important. We're all allowed bad days but honestly...? The good should seriously outweigh the bad since so often we actually can choose to think that way. Lucky for me, I have lots and lots of good in my life which makes things just a little easier sometimes. ;)

On that note, I had yet another tremendous visit home for Labor Day weekend. I had originally planned to head out to Portland but, due to dad's heart procedure earlier this summer, I felt a big tug in my heart to go home instead. I just really wanted to spend quality time with he and mom. Allison and I both found a cheap flight and we took two extra days off work which was perfect. The entire visit was just full of laughter, fun, love - it really was awesome.

A huge highlight was meeting sweet baby James and visiting with the Larkin family. I can hardly stand how cute he is:

There's also adorable (nearly 1 1/2 year old!) Gia who is so darling and brilliant. She talked the whole day, showed us her books, ate all her veggies...I just adore her:

After visiting at Erica's, we were so excited to surprise Mom with a belated birthday dinner at Dogwood in Atlanta. It's actually a tradition of mine to do a dinner for Mom instead of a gift. It's more about the time spent and experience together which is clearly something Allison enjoys, as well. It was a beautiful night out too which made it even better:

Holy crap, was dinner delicious. Listen up, GA friends...GO and definitely get the grits flight to share! We had a terrific evening together, talking all about Mom's memories of being younger and just things that we never really talk about. I feel like I got to know Mom in a whole new way which was so special. That woman means the world to me so it was a very memorable evening together.

Come Saturday, we had a huge cookout at my parents' for all the friends. I really centered this trip around being at home this time but there's no way I could miss seeing my dear friends. Mom and Dad love the idea of having people over too so it was just so fun for everyone:

I'll tell you right now as a side note that I have truly fallen in love with the Maddox family below. Yes, the whole family and not just sweet little Woods. They are absolute salt of the earth, incredible people. They are an example of love lived out:

For extra fun, a bunch of us decided to go to the good ol' Marietta square for beers after the cookout. It is so funny to grow up in only one house and in one town your whole life. To do things as an adult there feels so funny sometimes, especially when it's something like having beers. :P It's also funny when a piece of your very ancient past decides to make its way into your present:

I haven't seen Patrick in about 8 years so that was pretty wild. I'll just leave it at that. ;)

Overall, the visit was really needed for me. I have been swamped recently, both at work and personally, and I really appreciated the time away. I already feel like I've been thrown right back into chaos being back in New York but you know what? I'm embracing the insanity. All I know is I love my life and this weekend away was the tiniest glimpse into why. I haven't even scratched the surface. ;)

Next up? SKYDIVING in just two days. Next up after that (if I survive)? Giants season opener. I cannot freaking wait...