I'm baaaaack! And one year older! Whoo hoo! I spent my birthday weekend at Stone Mountain, GA! I have been telling Mike for years about this place and he surprised me for my birthday with a weekend camping trip! What a surprise! I have to say, that when he finally told me where we were going, I broke down in tears. There is something about Stone Mountain that holds such a special place in my heart. When I think about the times we spent there, as a family, I remember, bliss. I remember summer evenings filled with laughter, unity and of course Kentucky Fried Chicken! We would head out to the park, lay down a blanket and play in the perfectly manicured grass, awaiting the infamous, LASER SHOW! How magical it was. I just remember a feeling of peace and security when we were there, as a family. Needless to say, I headed to Stone Mountain with all of those expectations on mind. I wanted to feel like a kid again. I can't hold back here. I wanted to feel, again, those moments I felt when we were there, years ago. I can't even come up with the words when I think about it. It was so happy and so freeing. All I think about was how wide and long the stretch of grass was. It went on forever. It's like as many problems as we may have had, there was enough lawn to consume it all while we were there. There were no walls or restrictions. I could give over whatever anxiety or stress I felt, to the lawn. Sounds crazy, I know. But that's how I can sum it up. It was my release. So here were are..........my heart was pounding when I saw this sign!
We arrived at the camp site and starting unloading. The tent we borrowed from a friend was suppose to come with instructions. It didn't. Uh oh, is right! We summoned some neighbor campers who assisted us with our tent. It was awesome once it was put up. we then headed straight for the mountain. It's time to clime. Here I am, all smiles, ready to take the mountain, head one.

Here I am, just starting to climb, still as optimistic as can be.

And I'm beaten by the mountain! Holy Cow! This thing was way shorter, but waaaaaaaay harder than I ever remember! Oh my goodness! It was so hot out!We finally made it to the top. And it was amazing. Out of order but here is our camp site.

After the climb we went back to the site to take showers and get ready for the July 4th Laser Show and fireworks. How excited was I! They supplied a water taxi to take the campers to the lawn but it ended up being a 1 hr. wait b/c of the amount of people. We finally arrived at the lawn and coudn't find a seat. We couldn't even make it to the lawn it was sooo packed. We actually had some friends coming to meet us who were turned away at the entrance to Stone Mountain bc they were over capacity. I was a little upset. I had envisioned this cool summer evening with a blanket laid out and lots of leg room. Nope! Didn't exist that night! So I plopped us down on a slab of concret and we watched. So that was that night. The next day we headed back up to the lawn at 10:00am and set a chairs and a blanket for the Saturday night show. I was prepared this time. Here we are!!! I made it to the lawn! Yay!!!!! This was magical for me! I was thrilled! Had to do some cartwheels! My arms are still sore! I'm old!!! Haha

Look at Mike go!

We took the skylift to the top and got an amazing view.

Mike did the ropes course and was amazing! Look at him go! At the end of the weekend, I was so happy with everything. Camping was a new adventure for us and was so much fun! We made it to the LaserShow on Saturday, on the lawn, exactly as I remembered it. Mike, I have to say, totally came through. He tried in every way to make this experience what it meant to me years ago. And I thank him for that.

My Beloved Family

So I know I haven't blogged in awhile. Actually an eternity in blog world! Haha! So I thought I would post some of my favorite pics of my favorite people. My family. I love you all so very much. We all, no doubt, lead very different lives, but we are who we are. We are individuals and at the end of the day we are connected.

Lesley's wedding

Mike and I attended one of my oldest friend's Lesley's wedding today. Lesley and I have known each other for many years. We have been through much of our toughest times, growing up, together. We have been there for each other through broken hearts, personal successes, change and even worse, death. Lesley and I lost touch, as many friends do, for a couple of years. The first time we reconnected was at her engagement party last year. I received a call from her letting me know of her exciting news and promised her I would see her the following weekend for the celebration. We reunited as if we had just seen each other everyday for the last few years. It was wonderful to see her mom again, who was so much a part of our years we spent being close friends.
I remember when I first met Mike and we were having a conversation about friends. And he said this to me, "You'll find one day that you can literally count your friends on your hand." I remember looking at him like, you must not have had very good friends. At the time I had a group of "friends", (which I included Lesley in but not one that's grouped in the following story) that I would have needed both of our hands for. And maybe feet too. The journey of finding my own place in the world and searching for who I truly was had already begun, I was just in denial. I wanted to hang on to all of my sisters for a selfish reason. I wanted to believe what they told me that staying out late wasn't a big deal. That making fun of other friends who were not around at the time was, "what all best girlfriends did." I wanted to believe that enabling each other to stay in the same place and never bettering ourselves was worth it as long as we did it together. I wanted to believe that the pact we had made to always be friends and stay together was what would ulitmately drive me to personal success and happiness. It just wasn't true. Not for us anyway. I started to wonder why no one ever said, "Anna I wish I had the strength to work 9 hours a day and then go to school 4 hours every night Monday through Friday." "I am so happy that you are dating someone who builds you up and encourages you to be a better person." "Thank you so much for coming to meet me for a drink tonight(wing man), I know you have to get up early tomorrow."I felt for the last year of these friendships, that I was hiding from the exhaustion I was feeling from everything I was doing. Giult, for working hard and trying to do it all. They couldn't understand because none of then HAD to do it. And I never held that against them. I felt that I could never use the fact that I a 14 hour day ahead of me as an "excuse" not to do what everyone else was doing. Which was going out and socializing. But come on, 5 nights a week? No on needs to be seen that much! So it was then that I began to realize the distance. I initiated several conversations to save the friendships. And the ironic thing was, the few times we tried to "talk about the tension" it was always a goal for them to get me back to the "fun Anna". The one who didn't care about staying out late or spending money I didn't have just to go shopping. The one who ignored responsibility, because "everything will work out". If they had ever made an attempt to want to remain friends in spite of the new direction my life was heading, I would have welcomed it with open arms. But that wasn't the case. It was about holding me back so that they didn't have to realize that maybe it was time for all of us to grow up. So I continued through school and graduated, which was my goal. And to be honest, it was the first time in my life that I didn't care that my phone wasn't ringing every 5 minutes with whatever friend, wanting to talk and hang out. It was the first time that I only thought about myself and what I needed to do to take care of Anna. And Anna's future. And I was at peace with that. Unfortuately these friends and I have never rekindled a friendship but I have always wished them happiness.
So when Mike and I attended Lesley's wedding today we had a chance to talk for a few minutes. We talked about old times and it was like we never missed a beat. We all feel guilty sometimes for not staying as, in touch, as we would like. But I told her that we all needed time to find out place in the world and figure out what's best for us. By ourselves. And that when you reconnect with someone and are able to still love each other for where you are NOW, then you know you are truly meant to be friends. It doesn't matter if you don't get together 4 times a week or talk 12 times a day. What matters is accepting, loving and encouraging someone for the better of them. Even if it means letting them have their space when they need to grow.
With all of that being said I would like to say thank you to my girlfriends: And it's only one hand full. But I wouldn't trade a single finger.

Wachovia Shin Dig at Phillip's Place

Every year the Wachovia sponsord PGA tour throws a free concert at Phillip's Place in SouthPark. The tickets are limited and "purchased" at resturaunts and shops in Phillips Place. Mom receives free tickets from her apartment complex and so graciously gave them to Mike and I. Thanks Mom. The two bands playing this year were Pointer Sisters and Dooby(Doobey?) Brothers. It was so much fun. The doctor and consultant I work with also came out for the event and we had a blast
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Puerto Rico

This was my third trip to Puerto Rico. Last year. For those of you who do not know, Mike's father was born in Puerto Rico and came to the U.S. in his twenties. We always make a point to visit as many relatives as possible when we are there. San Juan is the "touristy" city but to truly see Puerto Rico you have to get out of the city. Into the "jungle" as I call it. He has many cousins, aunts, nieces, you name it that live in a small town in mountians called, Las Marias. We stay with his Uncle Mike and Aunt Norlma at least one night when we are there. And they are THE sweetest. They both lived in the U.S. for a period of time, saved their money and moved back home. It's nice when we stay with them b/c they do speak "english". No really, we can understand each other, but sometimes the 3 of us(Uncle Mike, Norlma and myself) look at each other like, "huh?" Deer in headlights all the way. And then we laugh b/c it is what it is. I'll never forget, one morning, Norlma and I were having coffee on the porch and she shared this story with me. "When I was a little girl I had bad asthma. My mother would walk me in the middle of the night for fresh air. Every morning (like 4:00am) the fishermen would pass our house and ask why she had me out in the wee hours of the morning? She would tell them that my baby cannot breathe and need fresh air. One morning a fisherman stopped and gave her a remedy. So my mother did as she was told. She took a lizard and cut it in half. She threw the bottom half of the lizard into the living room floor. She put the top half of the lizard into a boiling pot of milk. As soon as the bottom half of the lizard stopped squirming on the floor she knew the milk was ready. And she gave it to me. And I never had asthma again. Sans to God!" That's how she says , "thank you God". They have truly embraced me as family and are so kind and welcoming whenever we are there. Mike's father has, I believe 5 sibling left. Two of the brothers live on the old family farm. Their houses consist of metal. Metal huts. What's amazing is that when I am there, and I look around I see the most beautiful land that I have ever seen. They are very poor but not like you see in a city. They live in the mountains with coconut trees and sunshine year around. Now do not think I am naive. They have had very hard lives. But when you're there it's hard not to imagine your own life, in tropical paradise. I sometimes think I would like to move there and make jewelry to sell on the street. It's amazing.

Another funny story. One of my least favorite foods is coconut. So the very first time I visited Puerto Rico we went to Mike and Norlma's. And they are always putting food in front of you. So Uncle Mike brings me a coconut pastry. And I'm thinking, "ok, one coconut pastry won't be that bad". I mean lets be respectful here people. Then he goes to the freezer and pulls out, what looks like, Italian ice. But COCONUT!!! So I dig in. But I'm hating it. And last but certainly not least he asks me to come outside. Where he proceeds to hack off a fresh coconut from a tree with his machete. Takes it inside, cuts a whole in it and literally sitcks a straw in. I look up at him with that big smile and warm eyes and I drink. And I drink and I drink. Yes people, I had 3 forms of the one of my least favorite food. But you want to talk about fresh fruit? Go to Puerto Rico.

New Orleans

So I will start with our most recent trip. New Orleans! Wow! I had my ideas of what to expect and they were confirmed. Amazing food, great history and cool accents. Haha. I was truly looking forward to the accents. Mike surprised me with a 3 hours class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. What an experience. The chef treated us to gumbo, jumbalia(sp.?) and pralines. Mmmmm...good. She started with the history of the New Orleans cuisine and was a joy to be around. We had to take a trip down Bourbon St.(of course). Ok my 2 trips. It was wild! We went at night time of course but the next morning I went to a cafe for coffee around 7:00 am and started to stroll. I come to the end of a block and to my left is Bourbon St. So I think, "i'm familiar with it, I know where I am" and continue to walk. All of a sudden in the faint distance I hear, "Boom, Boom Shakalaka, Boom Boom Shakala" and see dancing and partying. Let me refresh your memory. 7:00 am! It was crazy. But that is not what New Orleans is all about.
We walked a ton and visited the Museum of Marti Gras which was really interesting. All of the costumes and history. We were there the week after Marti Gras ended so there were still plenty of beads strewn all over. We took the street car for an hour tour one day and the outskirts are really pretty.
We were able to talk to alot of locals about Katrina. You can see in their eyes and hear in their voices the lasting devastation. The anger and bitterness from what they endured. And are still enduring.
It was a great trip.