It is well...

Life is an endless roller coaster. The scary drops, the exhilarating ups, and the times when it seems we are just creeping along not going up or down... just a plateau in life. I am definitely in an exhilarating up right now. I don't know how life could get much better! I know I have said that before.... but I am way to blessed not to say that! I have an incredible family who support me constantly, greater friends than I could ever deserve or ask for, I serve an awesome God who loves me despite my faults... I could not be more blessed or be happier!

I am crazy in love with life... now why it is great, this summer when I was struggling, all the time. If I did not have the hard times, I would not know how great the good times are. If I did not have the lows, I would not realize how out of control and powerless I am and, thus would not see how in control and totally powerful (and awesome) God is.

Life is Good. In fact, Life is great!

The Lake! (and at sunset it is even better!)

The unexpected... a rainbow during a break in the rain.

The Mountains...

My life long dream of being an architect slowly becoming my reality!

(This is my arch + Health people during our tour of the ORs at MUSC last week)

...just a dog.....

Read this on someones blog and thought I would post it here because I think it is sweet!
In the past few years since we got Whit for my dad after my dad got sick, I have become quite the dog lover. I cant imagine life without Cadie and Whit (my parent's dogs), or my sweet Riggs. I am now and will forever be a dog person!
(and I do have a special place for spaniels, in particular!)

It's Just a Dog

From time to time people tell me, "Lighten up, it's just a dog," or,
"That's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled,
the time spent or the costs involved for "just a dog."
Some of my proudest moments have come about with

"just a dog." Many hours have passed and my only company
was "just a dog," but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog,"
and, in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog"
gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably
understand phases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise,"
or "just a promise."
"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence
of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.

"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that
makes me a better person. Because of "just a dog"

I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me, and folks like me,
it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes
and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past
and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and
diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not
"just a dog" but the thing that gives me humanity
and keeps me from being "just a human."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog."
just smile....because they "just don't understand."

- Anonymous

Cadie on the chair she is NOT supposed to be on! :-)

Whit at his favorite place... Lake Murray waiting for the ball to be thrown!


From left to right, Riggs, Whit (in mid-air), and Mackie playing ball at the lake house!

Riggs!!! My Sweet Boy!!!

Cadie (left) and Whit (on the sofa they are also not supposed to be on)

Cadie and Riggs (on the sofa at the lake, which they are allowed on)

Riggs when he was a wee baby in front of Riggs Hall

(both named after former Clemson President Walter Merritt Riggs)

Whit at the mountain house

Bit of an update....

In the beginning of the summer I had so many plans and things to do with all the "free time" I was going to have away from school. Needless to say, much of those things have not gotten done but I have had one of the best summers of my life, if not the best summer of my life.

I spent most of June working on research stuff for work and studying for the LEED exam when I was not at work. June was also when we went to Blowing Rock for our annual family vacation. It was a great week of relaxing!!! The weather was spectacular. My dad had to be out of town for the first few days, so it was great for my mom and I to get some great mother/daughter time in. She and I did lots of things together, but one night for dinner, we went to my favorite restaurant of all time so that made it extra special! That night I also had one of the best meals I have ever had!!! At the end of the week, one of my great friends from grad school came up for the weekend. She is from Texas, so she had never been up to the mountains of the east coast. It was fun to go up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, see the Cone Manor, and of course eat at some of the great restaurants around town! One night we went all out and had dinner downtown at Bistro Roca and then went to Gamekeeper (my favorite restaurant mentioned above) for dessert and drinks. It was great to have her up there and a fun way to end my vacation!

After that week, I really had to buckle down and really cram for the LEED exam. Leading up to the exam I was really nervous as I had been taking practice exams and not doing very well. The night before the exam, I had studied all I knew to study and could recall the information, but still did not do well on the exam. When I crawled into bed, I prayed and told God it was up to him because I had done all I could do. The next day, I had a weird peace about the exam. I went, took it, and not only did I pass, but I got 100% on one of the sections!!! I am glad I studied for and took the exam, but it is one thing I am VERY happy to have behind me!

The next weekend was the weekend of the 4th of July. We celebrated the 4th with family and friends. We also celebrated my dad's 60th Birthday! It was a special day since it was not too long ago, his doctors said he probably would not make it that far!

After the 4th it was back to reality and back to work. I have thoroughly enjoyed working this summer. I only worked about 30-35 hours a week and with great people. It was a fun environment to work in and there was a real camaraderie amongst the group! While I was happy to be finishing work last week, it was also somewhat sad that this great group of people that I spent my days with was moving on. Luckily most will still be in Clemson for the school year with a few of the recent grads opening the next chapter of their lives!!

This week I am enjoying a few days at home in Columbia/at the lake house with my family as well as seeing Debbie and the kids. Thursday morning I will head back to Clemson to celebrate Lindsay's graduation. She has been such a great roommate, I hate to see her leave and move, but I am so happy and proud of all that she has accomplished!

Then, the big, unexpected trip of the summer, starts Monday. Monday I leave for EUROPE!!! I will only be gone about 10 days, but it will be a great trip and a great opportunity. I am going with Lindsay T, the friend of mine who came to the mountain house for part of our vacation. She was awarded a HUGE honor of an AIA/AAH Fellowship. So, some of the award covers travel for her to go study and do research. So, I am tagging along with her for the ride! We will spend half the trip in the UK and half the trip in the Netherlands. We will visit London and Oxford in the UK and then Deventer and Gronigen in the Netherlands. It should be a great, once-in-a-lifetime trip and I am super excited about it! I will be sure to do a post with pictures from our trip!

I get back the night before school starts, so I will have to hit the ground running and ready for the crazy semester that lays ahead. I have faith that it will be a good semester and that I will be prepared and ready for whatever comes my way! I am excited of all that is happening right now in my life. I can honestly say that I am happier than ever before and just excited about life!

Here are several pictures from all the adventures!!!

Last night at the lake... gotta love the sunsets off the dock!

Sarah Boyd on Saturday night! She is almost walking and is now9 months old!