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Showing posts with label Sunsets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunsets. Show all posts

Thursday, April 18, 2013

It Happens Every Day

Then there are the days when you feel ten times happier. And it's just because of life. Just how life's tragedies can bring you down, life's beauty can make you realize just how wonderful this world really is.

It is no surprise here that I love sunsets and that they inspire me more than any other thing [well, other than the ocean.] On Tuesday evening, while spending time in La Jolla at a beautiful beach known as Windansea, I realized, yet again, one of those beauties of life. It's simple yet so humbling.

That time of day when everyone stops for the sunset.


I feel so blessed to live in an area of the world where we get killer sunsets. Where we can so easily access countless beaches to watch the sun melt into the ocean. Every. Single. Day. And it's as if, for those last ten minutes as the sun sinks into the horizon, everything around us stops.

People pause on the boardwalk.
People pull their cars over.
Shoot, people just stop in the middle of the street.
People sit.
People stop surfing.
People just watch.
People soak it in.


Nothing else matters for those few minutes.
It's just you and the sunset.
And knowing that every single person around you is there for the same reason?
Well, that's a powerful feeling.

[No filter. Just sayin' ;)]

Because it's nature.
It's perfect.
It's untouched.
And all we have to do is stop to watch it.

Life is a Sunset

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Lessons of August 22nd

August 22nd.

August 22, 2010 was the first full day of being engaged. The first full day with a ring on my left ring finger. The first full day looking forward to forever with someone I loved.

August 22, 2011 was the last full day I lived in Sandy, Utah. The last full day I spent living in an apartment with someone I would no longer be calling my husband. The last full day of being surrounded by the pain within those walls.

August 22, 2012. Today is the 6-month anniversary of my Mom's death. It is also my Dad's birthday.


So many mixed emotions that this one date in August holds.

Today, I want it to be a turning point. While today and the past two years remind me of pain, loss, and heartbreak... I want to turn it around.


I will never be able to change what these three dates mean - what happened. The truth is, I will never be able to control what happens in the future either. However, going forward, I want this to be an emotional turning point for me.


I'm letting go of the past and I'm letting go of the outcome. I accept this as God's plan - the trials He's given me - the scars - the new strength.

I fully embrace this life that has been given to me. The lessons I've learned. I've accepted that there are some people who aren't meant to stay in your life and that letting go of them will allow you to live a life truer to you. I've accepted that death happens - often when you least expect it - and that there is nothing you can do but live a life in honor of them.


I've changed.
I've learned.
I've grown.

And those are things that will never cease in this life.

As each day's sun sets, I remind myself that tomorrow will be new.
Tomorrow will be a gift.
And I remind myself to continue looking up, always. 

To this turning point...

Monday, March 5, 2012

A Weekend Without

It was the first weekend without Mom or other Mom “events” so I was unsure at first how things would go. Looking back, it was a very pleasant weekend with lots getting accomplished. I somehow managed to take about 40 pictures on my iPhone this weekend as well. I blame it on my official re-entry into Instagram. [To follow along, go find me – chelseasunset]

The weekend started off with a trip into one of the cutest neighborhoods in the area – a neighborhood in Old Town Alexandria where my Mom used to live before I was born. I hope to go back some time in the daylight to get pictures of the beautiful homes with the huge wrap-around porches, the old gas stations, and cute little store fronts. It’s like walking back into the early 1960’s :)

OldTown 
Monroes
FoodCollage
[Clams casino and a slice of cheesecake. So yum.]

Saturday afternoon, I met up with Whitney and Erica for lunch at the one-and-only Cafe Rio. [You can see pictures in previous posts.] I’m kind of feeling like an area expert of that place, after having lived in Salt Lake. That’s literally the most popular place to eat in all of Utah so opening two Cafe Rios in Virginia is pretty huge.
Anyway, the weather was so beautiful that we sat out on the patio, enjoyed our delicious meals, and talked about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness :) We followed that up with a trip to Goodwill and stopped by Petsmart. We almost each left with a dog but we resisted the temptation. One day, though, I am going to cave.

On the way home, I stopped by the cemetery where my mom is buried and sat and “talked” with her for a while. It was a beautiful day with a subtle breeze and I felt so much peace being there. Miss her everyday.

Grave 
Card
I also received THE sweetest card all the way from
Megan in Norway!! I totally teared up while reading what she wrote. Her support and encouraging words are going to stick with me for quite some time. Thank you so so much, Megan!

My day continued being a good one when I decided that I ought to buy another pair of my favorite jeans. Not only did they have one last pair in my size BUT they were also on sale. Bam! And that, my friends, is how it’s done.

Jeans

I also caught this gorgeous sunset. Maybe it was my Mom shining down :)

Sunset

Also, this weekend, the annual Chocolate Lovers Festival was taking place. Obviously, I had to attend.

Chocolate

Truffles! They make everything better, don’t they?
The ceiling where the festival was being held was absolutely beautiful. These buildings have been around for a very long time and seeing beams like these just makes me smile.

Beams 
Fairfax
MissAub

Sunday evening was spent with family. My little niecey is a sweetheart and wanted to help the kitty eat her food :)

I love my family, I love my friends, I love my life – the hard times, the good times – I love what God has given me and I know the things He has taken from me are still there even if I can’t see them.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Sunset After a Storm

Because I’ve been so bad at sharing the latest happenings in little Chelsea’s life here on my blog, you know I went and saw Drive last weekend but don’t know that I made a little road trip to visit my best friend or perhaps that I had a slice of one of the most delicious cheesecakes ever made. For that, I apologize. I love writing about random things and participating in Pinteresting Wednesday {duh} but then I start slacking when it comes to posting pictures of my real life doings. Please forgive.

Actually, I might need someone to start hassling me to get these pictures posted sooner because it kind of loses its effect when I’m like, “Oh yeah, so a month ago I did theeeeus.” Listen, I like to do funny voices so sometimes I pronounce “this” like “theeeeus.” Try it. You might like it.

You’ll have to wait for the road trip and cheesecake pictures. But, today I’m showing you some pictures and thoughts on Mother Nature. That’s right, friends :)

About a month ago, I experienced the wrath of Mother Nature in the form of Tropical Storm Lee {one week after Hurricane Irene.} On one of the first days of the storm, I experienced some flash flooding while driving and that was enough for me to stay off the roads as much as possible. I was certainly one of the lucky ones. Check out these photos nearby of what other people had to experience:

LortonRd

{via}

Reston

{via}

That last picture was taken of a commuter parking lot in Northern VA. I can’t imagine the feeling of getting dropped off after work and realizing your car is submerged in water. Luckily, the worst my neighborhood saw was a small creek running through my front yard and a LOT of heavy rain… for days and days.

DSC_2653

DSC_2658

I know. Not quite as impressive as the first two, but, that’s a good thing, yes?

One night while eating dinner, we pulled up a local police scanner online {because we’re cool like that} and listened to the water rescues taking place that night. 12 people were rescued from cars on ONE street. Needless to say, the people that were out that night helping others are real heroes.

However, after the rain comes a rainbow. Isn’t that what they say? – or something? I prefer to say…

Life is a Sunset

DSC_2694 

DSC_2688

I’m sure you would have never guessed it, but I actually kind of have this thing for sunsets. I even use them in metaphors sometimes. When I saw this glorious sunset in the car one evening, I just about lost it. I was mad at the cars that were in my way and the same goes for the light poles – I needed a good picture! But, seriously… this sunset was such a gift to look at. The colors, the textures. It was as if the sky was a glowing ember.

I saw that sunset about a week or so after TS Lee had hit. I truly believe in my heart that, like the planet that we live on, we experience storms in our own lives. The pouring rain, the booming thunder, the floods, the earthquakes. After all, when it rains, it pours.

But, regardless of how often it storms, or how powerful the winds may be, each day ends with a sunset. Some days it might not be as visible, but on other days, the sun’s brilliant reflection on those clouds can’t be ignored.

I’m learning, day by day, that there are going to be storms – horrible storms. Roads may be washed away, causing me to find another route, and the lightning will most definitely frighten me. However, those storms will pass. And no matter how hard it may be at the time to see, that beautiful sunset will show itself to me and for those moments, I will look around and know that the storms were what made the peaceful sunset so worthwhile.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Fill in the Blank Friday {8}

Friday is already here? Holiday weekends’ll do that to ya!

As always, I’m linking up with The Little Things We Do for Fill in the Blank Friday! I’m so happy that she’s created this link-up. It’s a great way to reflect and a great way to get to know other bloggers!

Fill in the Blank

  1. My plans this summer include     spending my days inside hiding from spiders and the sun. The spiders because I’m terrified and the sun because it’s about time to start taking care of this skin of mine! Andddd that’s about it.
  2. The best summer I ever had was     probably the summer of 2007. It was my last summer teaching dance camps {which I still miss}, I had some of the best times with the greatest and craziest friends, and spent a good deal of time at home with family. It was my last official summer in college and it was definitely full of memories and traveling.
  3. Summer is     not as much fun as it used to be? For me, at least. Summers in elementary school were filled with looking forward to the Summer reading list being released, going to the pool every day and playing kickball with the neighborhood kids while waiting to be called in for dinner. Summers in high school were filled with driving for the first time with the windows down, going to the movies with 15 friends, and then hopping around from house to house until your curfew. Summers in college were filled with beach trips every weekend, spending each night out on the patio, and seeing places and states I had never seen before. Looking back, I had such great summers that I’m so grateful for.
  4. My favorite summer food is      strawberries. They go with so much! You can have strawberries on cereal, strawberries on dessert, strawberries in a wrap, strawberries in a drink, or even just strawberries alone! Delicious and healthy and {cheap in the Summer!}
  5. The best way to quench a summer thirst is with     a Shirley Temple :) Or a Bula :) Light, fruity, with a little fizz!
  6. My summer uniform consists of     Bermuda shorts and a short-sleeved top with lots of jewelry and some cute sandals. It’s changed quite drastically within the past two years…
  7. The best thing about summer is     the warm weather after roughly 7 months of Winter in Utah? I don’t know. I have to admit, this Summer doesn’t feel like “Summer” right now. Between the stress I’ve endured for months over the job industry to the relentless longing for home and friends, not a day passes by where I’m content. It’s a heavy subject really and certainly not something I want to drag down this light Summery topic with, but just know that my mind is on untouchable Summer things – like vacationing in a new spot, setting up new patio furniture, going to BBQ’s with friends, or bopping into a museum to get out of the sticky DC humidity. Those are the places my mind ventures to this Summer, knowing they’re so far out of touch.

While I know most people’s fill in the blanks this week will consist of all things sunshine and flip-flops and being carefree, my Summer this year is a little different. But don’t worry, while I’m standing on the sidelines, I’ll be cheering you all on and living vicariously through your vacation, party, and beautiful family festivity pictures :)

The summer does remind me of two things that I love though: salt air and sunsets.

Summer Sunset

Remember, life is a sunset. Each day brings new colors, new images, and moves at a different pace. As the day ends and the sun disappears, we know a new day will soon rise, giving us new opportunities and yet again, a new sunset.

Wishing you all a peaceful and relaxing weekend.

 

Photos: Tumblr , Flickr