Where has the time gone?

I can't believe it been months since my last post. (oh, that sounds like I'm in a confessional) This year has been very busy, fun, emotional and stressful. I run the whole gamut of emotions from extreme happiness to sadness and everything in between.

My daughter got married in May in San Diego and had a reception in our home in June. The wedding was on the beach and was just beautiful. The reception was fun as well. My brother came to the reception as well as lots of people from my daughter and husbands work place. Then a few weeks after the wedding reception daughter and new husband informed us they were moving to New Mexico. What??? My baby moving three states away? I know they chose NM because that's the only other place she's liked and because there are other family members there. But my baby moving three states away? Once I got over the shock I volunteered to drive with her while new husband drove the moving van.

OMG what is it? W-h-a-t is that thing on the side of the road? Drive faster please, we need to get away. OK not necessary, that is one in a series of dinosaurs statues on the side of the road in eastern Arizona. I took as many pictures as I could as we were driving by them earlier this month. They are just too funny.

The trip to NM earlier this month was long but we got closer as a result. I stayed with them in their new apartment for a few days after we got there. They both got lucky in that they got jobs right away. She had a job lined up even before she got there and they loved her. (What's not to love, she's adorable and a hard worker when it doesn't involve housework. )

This new "empty nest" is very different and very quiet. I thought it would be easy to deal with but it's harder that I thought. Last night my husband had an evening managers meeting and didn't get home until 8:00 pm and it got lonely here. This house is entirely too big for us. When we bought it we thought our dear girl would be going to college in Sac but instead she moved out soon after we moved here, then she got married.

As far as my art, I'm working on two journals, and some ATC's. I'll upload some soon. The above image was a self-portrait taken during a long walk I took in August. The image below is from the same walk.