July 4th Fun in D.C.

This week I am working...really working on my dissertation in Washington D.C. My dearest friend Sofia is hosting me....and allowing me to work in her beautiful building. I am so very grateful for her friendship, her support and her joy for life! It's always fun to spend time with her :)

But...I have been taking a bit of a break and enjoying all that D.C. has to offer. (Including her beautiful pool)...

Here are some pics from our 4th of July adventure. We enjoyed spending time listening to music, watching people and waiting for the fireworks show...

It was a mini-Buffalo reunion!

I so enjoyed watching all the people. I noticed that in many cases there were more international people than your standard "Americans" in the crowd....of course..I just Loved that :)

The Fireworks show was wonderful....I felt so very lucky to have experienced this! :)

A very happy birthday

Thank you to all those wonderful people in my life that have been wishing me a happy birthday today...it feels great to have so many people wish me well.
I am so very thankful for my friends, family and of course my Mom and Dad--without them I wouldn't be here!

Here is one of my best gifts....Aidy singing :

Introducing Emme..

My niece, Emme Grace, was born on Friday, May, 29th. She's such a cutie..

congrats doctors....

There are three doctors in this picture...Dr. Diana Vela, Dr. William Godoy and Dr. Catalina Crespo! We enjoyed some chicken wings @ Duff's. Soon, all three will make their way either across the U.S. or back to S. America.
I will miss our Latin parties...
But, I know the fun has not yet ended....

Old Pictures...

Today my brother sent me these old pictures! I love it...the first one is of my Dad--fishing. 

There are many days I think about him...fonding. I am not sad--of course I wish he was still here with all of us, but I try just remember being with him. And to think about what kind of advice he'd give me..

When we were kids...he use to take us fishing...that was always fun. 

One thing I remember about my Dad...that he love to sit and watch nature. Being as busy...impatient and energtic as I am, I thought this was totally borning! Now...I see he was doing his own form of meditiation. I found myself recently sitting and watching my beautiful trees from my house---and enjoying the cycles of nature :) 

This is a great picture of Mom.  Very Mrs. Brady-like. My sister and I alway tease my Mom that she looked like Mrs. Brady in the 70s. 

Hopefully Dave will send me more....these pictures made my day! 

happy

Lotus Flower Reflections - IMG_1724-refl, originally uploaded by Bahman Farzad.

Today I am feeling really happy. I am not sure if it's the combination of the wonderful sunlight we have been having, or that I am doing Yoga more frequently, or if it's because I am feeling more and more peaceful.

Whatever it may be....I am feeling like lotus flower..

And so it is :)

Spring is here

I am just so happy that things are growing. I love the last week in April/first week in May--bam..there are buds everywhere and leaves grow so very fast. 

I am amazed at nature sometimes. Sometimes it seems to take forever to see things grow...and other times, like how leaves return for spring--it happens so fast you forgot what it was like before the leaves where there. 

And the cycle begins again.  

I find myself more and more interested in these cycles. Maybe I am trying to get in touch with nature. I think it's to align myself more with the beauty and gracefulness that is nature.  How peaceful it is for nature to experience the change of seasons. 

 Hopefully you are reading this now and are feeling peaceful as well :)