Tequila & Salt

Have you ever had one of those just wonderful days alone? A day when nothing seems too overwhelming and all there is just you and whatever you choose to do with the minutes that compose it? That was my day :) Lately I have had so much on my mind, which in turn is affecting my much loved time of sleep (which never happens....i LOVE sleep) When I woke up today my mind, although still processing a thousand things, was peaceful and in turn I was able to just take a deep breath. The past few weeks I have just realized every day how incredibly blessed I am in this life. I look at the intricate parts of my life and see how loved I am....all the pieces (people) that make me who I am are simply....phenomenal. ( I realize too that I dont tell those people often enough) For whatever reason God just continues to put fantastic people in my path...I love when precious new people enter your life..ones that you have the feeling will be around for a long time. I have always been blessed...even during hard times...and Ive just been reminded how many truly wonderful people I have been given to share this life with

Today I started reading the book "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert...and Im a 1/4 of the way into it and its a stellar book. Ive always been able to immediately immerse myself into a good book....to lose myself in whatever the story is and fly through it...while still getting the full experience. This is the first book Ive ever read...that I want to slow it down. It is a self biography about a woman who spent a year in Indonesia, India and Italy in order to find the perfect balance of life for herself. After heartbreak and loss....to really spend the time finding her sense of the divine and what life's purpose is. I have really connected to the book and am loving taking it slow so I can process the different things that come up by reading it.

I'm COUNTING DOWN the weeks I have left till I have another season in Bar Harbor... Although there will be a lot of work and time away from my family.....I fell in love with BH...and the NE last year. Going in this time I have a list of places to go and see....and for the first time ever I will have a pretty set schedule so I can plan my mini adventures.(Itin is back) The biggest highlight is my sister Sarah is supposed to be coming after her graduation to work up there.... I get her for two whole months!

I hope this finds you in a place where you feel loved and life is full of happiness...if so treasure it....if this finds you a little blue remember there is always someone in this world that thinks of you at the end of their day...and someone you don't even know exists...already loves you

<3 <3 <3

p.s. if your wondering about my title....I heard this neat saying i now love.."if life gives you lemons...ask for tequila & salt" ...sounds good to me

Set Fire To The Third Bar

Today I am feeling very humbled....my sister Julie is volunteering in Uganda with Doctor's for Global Health. Reading her updates of what she is doing over there...really gives you a reality check.
Hospitals with little or no medicine, staff and supplies....parents who dont understand or dont have the ability to properly care for their children. A viscous cycle that can never really be ended until the world steps into countries like Uganda and makes a difference. We are so clueless in our little bubble of reality...we (myself included) think about what else we can get for ourselves. How to make our life more fun or comfortable. Not in a selfish way, just in the way that our society perpetuates us to think. For example since the devastation in Haiti Ive heard people refuse flat out to not give to Haiti because ..."why should we help them?" ....even if your poor in America you are still a man of riches in a country like Uganda or Haiti. Our way of thinking of is so distorted....and it is something I know as a person I want to work on. Maybe I wont be able to fly around the world and make a huge difference...but I can everyday in small ways....it just takes a conscious effort....



If your in FL ...enjoy the beautiful cool weather :)

love,
S

"I Gotta A Feeling...."

Its almost 2010! I can barely even believe that....how quickly time flies! As 2009 ends I am so thankful for this past year, the friends I made, the adventures I had and the amazing memories that will forever be mine. The highlight of this past year was spending my first season in Bar Harbor, Maine...I absolutely fell in love with Mt. Desert Island and Maine itself. There is something truly magical about that part of the country, the people are so down to earth and kind. I miss Bar Harbor already and cant wait to go back this May (T minus 4 months!) My adventure to D.C. for the inauguration was pretty spectacular itself. Now that was a day that I'm so glad I realized there was no reason for me to not be there....then all I had to do was talk a few easy targets into going with me (aka my sister Sarah, and my up for any adventure friend Kate)...literally and historically it was obviously a once in a lifetime experience

I have this feeling that this next year is going to be a remarkable one; my sister Julie is going to Uganda, Africa till late spring ( I cant wait to hear about her experience) One thing that I truly admire about my sister is that when she has a dream....at some point in her life she has followed through with it....having her in my life gives me the courage to dream, dream, dream!

My sister Sarah is turning eighteen (jeez!!)...graduating highschool...and starting that ever terrifying journey into adulthood.... She has turned out to be one of the neatest people I know and I am so excited to see where life takes her.

Annie is starting a new chapter in her life too, just getting back from some time in the NW, she is working hard( both at life and finding herself) ...and creating her own adventure...she always see's the world with a perspective that I sometimes wish I could tap into..

and of course Gina...my precious Gina... She's turning sixteen which makes me fully realize how much things are changing! She's the most incredible little person....seeing her evolve, learning new words and understanding more its just quite spectacular. She's starting high school this upcoming fall, which will be fulfilling her "life-long" dream of having a locker and being all grown up. As she told me other day on the phone "she is no longer a child....she is a young woman"....I can hear my heart silently breaking a little bit...my little sister who I just want to stay ten forever ( because she was so darn cute!) is a full-fledged teenager! uhh...

I have lots of adventures planned (in my head) for this next year....when I head back to Maine for six months in between that I want to tour the NE...I want to see the White Mountains in fall, go to Philly, Boston etc... I fell in love with NYC last May and cant wait to go explore it again. The best part is going to be Bar Harbor itself! I now have a tent thanks to Julie and Chris and their awesome Christmas present....so that means...camping trips.... Im only minutes from Acadia Nat'l Park.

This next year Im going to really focus on creating my best life....although it sounds like something from Oprah...I really mean it... I have an incredibly blessed life...although at times my big crazy family overwhelms me, or money stresses me out, or I underestimate myself...I live a fantastic life. Im healthy, have amazing friends and family, am able to travel and create beautiful memories, and most importantly have control over my future. But this next year I want to laugh more, push myself farther, be braver, be more honest with myself, say what I really mean when its important, and do everything I can to bring happiness to other peoples lives.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful New Years, I truly wish all of you the most incredible, blessed year!

<3 Sue

~Merry Christmas~

Merry Christmas Eve!

This is without a doubt my most favorite time of the year...I love everything that Christmas means, even all the craziness that ensues from it. As the year is ending Ive been a bit down lately....just thinking about life and the what ifs. Im a big believer in 'everything happens for a reason'. But recently, looking back, Ive been wondering if I had made certain decisions differently...where would I be right now in my life? I have amazing friends, family and adventures but apart of me knows I was supposed to be somewhere different than this right now. Where I dont know, all I do know is that Im realizing that even small choices impact your life in great ways, ways that you may never fully understand.

But you know those moments that you didnt say the thing you should have said? that moment when your fear of being let down stops you from saying something important. If I am bad at anything it is that...sometimes even years or minutes later you want to kick yourself for being so ridiculous! I hope that throughout my life I learn how to be better at that. Knowing the outcome would be far greater than never knowing...because you never said the words.....

I hope that everyone has a blissfully wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!

<3 always,
Suzanna

Coffee Irony

So Im sitting in my favorite coffee shop in Bar Harbor, Cafe Milagro. Since Im leaving next week I thought I had better get my favorite coffee grounds to take with me for the winter! The funny thing about this coffee is that I found it here in Bar Harbor, the Dancing Goats, ( I love the French Roast) .....I sent it to my dad for his birthday since he loves coffee too. The irony is that it turns out that the coffee is roasted in Olympia, WA....my dad's hometown!! Just another reason I love the Northwest!

Summer Snapshots

Summers Ending..

This past week has been full of wonderful memories and really sad moments. Friends that I made over the past six months have started to leave, people who become like family and you spend so much time with, all of the sudden are leaving. Its basically the end of the best summer camp you've ever been too (just with more drama and stress) Its so strange to think that when I arrived in Bar Harbor I had no idea what to expect, I really wasn't sure it had been a good decision. Spending six months here has been the best summer of my life; not to sound melodramatic, but it really has. Ive worked really hard, learned a lot about myself and who I'm becoming, made incredible friends and along the way had some pretty unforgettable moments with people. Last Thursday was my 23rd birthday, and it was such a great day. My friends did so much to make my day so special, it was the never ending birthday :)

I had the craziest experience a week ago...my friend Heather and I were walking around downtown Bar Harbor and she wanted to stop in this store to talk to this lady who does Medium & Physic readings. I didnt want to go in but she asked if I would come in with her and I knew her reasons for wanting to go, so I went with her. We sat down and the lady explained her abilities and what to expect. I felt completely calm around her....

Right away a friends grandfather who had passed communicated with her to speak to me, and then my grandfather who passed this summer. The details and descriptions that she gave were incredible, it was unlike anything Ive experienced before. Then Heather had some crazy stuff happen. At the end of it she told me that I was very gifted and that I ever chose to cultivate my gifts I would have very strong abilities, and that I was strongly tied to the spiritual world. Which Ive always known anyways because of my relationship with God. But to have someone pick up on it like that was...I don't think I can find the right word....

Apart of me doesnt want to leave Bar Harbor because its been this amazing experience, but Im coming back next season. Im off to work in Vero Beach, FL for the winter with one my favorite people :)
I feel so fortunate to have had this time here and cant wait to come back! I leave in two weeks for Florida, so it will be a quiet end of the season just packing, working and spending time with friends

Hope all is well

<3 Sue