Cheering on my photo victories

A few months ago I submitted several photos for consideration in our local hospital's 2013 calendar.  This is my third year in a row submitting photos.  The last two years I was lucky enough to have been selected --2011 and 2012 both for the month of July.  This year, however, they did a facebook contest.  They selected 2-3 photos to be finalists and let their facebook followers vote for their favorite. I do admit that all the photos were beautiful.  I knew right off the bat I was not going to win. No, I do not have a low opinion of my photo. I have 100 facebook friends.  Obviously, you have to be a member of facebook to vote. Although I spread the word amongst my 'friends' I knew I couldn't win against a teenager who has probably 1,000 facebook friends (ok, that may be an exaggeration--but probably not by much). 

I became the runner-up.  However, I was delighted to hear that the runner-ups were also going to have their pictures published in the calendar-just in a smaller size.  It is the small victories that make me feel worth something now that I am without my daughter everyday and feel I don't have much of a job anymore. Here is the photo:

A few weeks ago I also got the exciting news that another photo I submitted is going to be framed and displayed in a new physician center in our area. Here is the photo (which is also the photo that was in this year's calendar):

Thank you to my parents for such a wonderful home/garden for which these pictures and most others I take would not be possible!